| 158 159 |                        | White money game Blue |
Problem #3 Play Votes Score13/9, 11/9 7 10018/14, 13/11 2 7024/18 1 6024/20, 13/11 0 4011/5* 0 408/4, 6/4 0 40
George Klitsas: 18/14, 13/11.
Everything has merit here (except 24/20 13/11 [18/14 13/11 is better], and probably 11/5*, which leaves too many Blue blots and good sixes from the bar, for White). Blue has the chance to make a definite progress making an inner point (8/4 6/4), the nine point as part of a growing prime (13/9 11/9), the more-than-one-thinks long term blocking 11 point (most useful, especially if White eventually anchors on the 5 point) or the defensive anchor on White's bar point (24/18). I believe that the deference (in equity terms) between all these plays is not big, in any case. My preference goes to 18/14 13/11.
Laila Leonhardt: 13/9, 11/9.
Not being able to constructively keeping White from having a shot at making the advanced anchor, the play should focus on making a play that will work both ways. If White does make the anchor, the 9 point will be an essential priming point and if he fails, the 9 point checkers works as attackers and builders for the 5 point.
Mary Lee Pinkney: 13/9, 11/9.
I decided to pick up the blot that is the farthest ahead in the race and make the 9 point with 13/9, 11/9. This leaves builders on the 6, 8 & midpoint to continue working on a prime position.
There is no urgency to anchor with 24/18 since White doesn't have an anchor, only a one point inner board, and no prime.
Snowie: 13/9, 11/9.
The four point is a better asset, but that leaves White a direct shotat the blot on the 11 point. My play makes a good asset and cleans upmy outer board nicely. I'm not afraid to leave the checker sitting onWhite's bar point. White has no board, and if he hits I will probablyhave plenty of return shots. If he misses, I may be able to make theanchor.
Marty Storer: 24/18.
The 18 point is very good to establish in the opening. With Whiteready to anchor on the 20, moves that eschew the 18 point don'tput enough pressure on White. If White hits after Blue makes the18, at least White's slot for the 20 anchor goes away.
Bob Stringer: 13/9, 11/9.
This is not a terrific roll (better to constructively hit the bloton my 5 point), but it gives me the option of making one of threedecent points. I'm not hitting because the odds are that Whitewill hit back, when I won't have accomplished anything. If I make apoint, on the other hand, the odds are that White won't make thefive point and in the meanwhile I'll have made a point. 13/9, 11/9looks like the play, since 24/18 and making the 4 point bothleave direct shots.
Casper van der Tak: 13/9, 11/9.
Many possibilities! Let's eliminate some. 11/5* is the first to go out - that move does not make any concrete asset. Second to go: 24/20 13/11. That leaves too many convenient double hits for White. Third to go: 18/14 13/11. White hits are convenient, and Blue would almost have no returns.
Three plays remain 8/4 6/4; 13/9 11/9 and 24/18. Both the 4-point and the bar-anchor are more useful than the 9-point, but the 9-point is a concrete asset and Blue much prefers to be hit on the 18 than on the 11 - more return hits. For that reason I'd play 13/9 11/9.
Kit Woolsey: 18/14, 13/11.
The 11 point is big with White having a checker on my five point andthreatening to make the anchor. It isn't vital to make a defensiveanchor here -- that just risks losing a lot of ground in the race ifWhite hits. Advancing the back checker to the 14 point leaves fewershots and covers my outer board, so that is another improvement. Otherplays do only one good thing.
Chris Yep: 13/9, 11/9.
In the opening, making a strong point is usually better than hitting loose in one's inner board. That rules out 11/5*. Also 13/9 11/9 dominates 8/4 6/4. While the 4 point is better than the 9 pt. in this position, it's not worth leaving an extra blot in direct range to make it. Also, while the moves that make the 11 point are fine, the 11 point isn't as valuable as the 9 point in this position. Since 13/9 11/9 still leaves the back men in reasonable locations (with an advanced anchor slotted), I believe it's better than 24/20 13/11 and 18/14 13/11. Thus I've narrowed the choice down to two moves, 24/18 (best defense) and 13/9 11/9 (best offense). In general offensive moves are slightly better than defensive moves in the opening. Since both sides still have weak 1-point boards, I like 13/9 11/9, making the 9 point and leaving the advanced anchor slotted.
Summary: With many interesting possibilities, the panel was unwillingto leave any shots on the offensive side of the board. That makes a lotof sense. I think making the 9 point is quite reasonable -- I felt thechoice between that and the 11 point was very close.