| 122 119 |                         | White money game Blue |
Problem #8 Play Votes Score10/7, 10/6 8 1007/4, 7/3 1 606/3, 6/2 1 607/4, 6/2 0 406/2, 4/1 0 40
George Klitsas: 10/7, 10/6.
I think that 10/7 10/6 is obvious and I expect it to be the unanimous choice. Blue, ahead in the race, will be able to play for awhile from the 7 and 6 points, filling in his board and waiting for a good roll. Anything else is short sighted, blocking only 55 for one roll. Especially, plays that leave [unnecessarily imo] a blot, look like blunders.
Laila Leonhardt: 6/3, 6/2.
What does White want? Obviously to get out of your homeboard safely, take control of the outfield, let you run out of timing and having to leave your anchor, hit you and hopefully gammon you. Timing is the issue here. White doesn't have much of it if he cannot make the back checkers participate. He will have to either leave you a shot or release a guy from the midpoint, so stick around and block his exit and make life a little harder for him.Mary Lee Pinkney: 10/7, 10/6.
I would play 10/7, 10/6. Since the race is close, this move brings in builders to safely improve my inner board and leaves me with numbers to safely play.
Snowie: 10/7, 10/6.
This is just a matter of looking ahead toward the future. If I don'tclear the ten point now, I may be forced to leave a shot on my next rollwhen White has a strong board. I have a fine three-point game with myback checkers not badly blocked and the race about even, so there isno need to complicate the issue. I simply sit tight and wait for mybig doubles or my joker which hits an indirect shot.
Marty Storer: 10/7, 10/6.
It looks like Blue should bite the bullet and clear his hardestpoint. Other moves would be made with the idea of restrainingWhite's back checkers for another roll or two, but White has enoughmaneuvering room that Blue's playability problems loom fairlylarge after a move like 7/3 7/4. Clearing the 10 point gains Bluesome time to play safely. With a close race, the 22 anchor isn'tthe worst position for Blue's back men. He's a clear underdog, buthe may have time to hit a winning fly shot, roll a big double, orrace at a later time.
Bob Stringer: 10/7, 10/6.
White's anchor is far better positioned than mine, and he has thebetter timing. If I could hold the 10 point I would, but it has togo soon anyway, and so I'll vacate it now while I have the roll todo so safely.
Casper van der Tak: 10/7, 10/6.
A nice technical position. Blue is ahead in the race, but has much the worse timing. Playability is his concern. White has the checkers on the midpoint to play with, so White does not come under any timing pressure. Blue wants to gain as much time as possible to roll escaping doubles or hit a fly shot. Since Blue would like to hit any fly shots next turn if he can - White is likely to play from his midpoint this turn, there is some small penalty against slotting points.
I'd play 10/6 10/7, which leaves some spares to play with while waiting for something good to happen, does not leave any blots that could reduce the value of a possible hit next turn, and clears a point that may be difficult to clear conveniently otherwise.
Kit Woolsey: 7/4, 7/3.
I don't want to give White a free shot at getting both back checkersaway, so I'm not fond of 10/7, 10/6 even though it is smooth. Holdingall blocking points with 6/3, 6/2 looks awful. My play gives megood builder distribution to make badly needed points. I won't like itif I roll a six next turn, but maybe that won't happen.
Chris Yep: 10/7, 10/6.
The race is close, White has a better anchor, and White has a better prime. Therefore Blue is not suited to a prime vs. prime game. I believe that the 10 point is more of a liability than an asset to Blue. If Blue doesn't clear it now he will soon run out of safe moves to play as he stumbles around with his remaining 11 checkers (assuming he doesn't run off his anchor). Blue can't do an effective job at blocking White anyway, so it looks best to just clear the 10 point. I like 10/7 10/6, giving Blue some playable spares and gaining some extra time to either roll a big double or hit a fly shot in the outfield.
Summary: Is it right to give up the most valuable blocking point andrisk giving White a free run of the outfield when White is running outof plays also? Perhaps it is since this will let Blue play his nextcouple of rolls comfortably, but I'm not convinced. Blue still has tofind a way to win this game.