Alan Alsop: 10/4, 6/4.
Blue has taken White's 5 pt and I see no reason to move them this early in the game. Bringing down two men from the midpt is not necessary at present leaving a weaken outer board. The four pt looks good to me.

Chuck Bower: 10/4, 6/4.
Blue needs to safety the blot else risk losing the nicerace lead in this mutual holding game. Blue has thechoice of shifting to the 18-point, but the 20-pointis preferable in general, and White's stack on his6-point is kept awkward by staying. Adding the4-point is nice for future blot hitting. The resultingposition looks quite solid, right when White is stacked.

Doug Doub: 10/4, 6/4.
We are ahead in the race, so racing would often beappropriate. However, we can only advance our back anchor to the 18pt, unless we leave a shot. White has an awkward stack of men on his 6pt, and I don't think that we should give them the option of going to the point that they would most like to go to. Filling in our 4pt puts some real teeth in our board.
We are likely to have to leave a shot at some point, as is our opponent. Making the best available point in our board, while preventing our opponent from doing the same, increases the chances that later hits will be more favorable for us.

Ian Dunstan: 20/18(2), 10/8, 6/4.
This is a mutual holding game and Blue is ahead 24 pips after this roll. Totake advantage of the race, Blue would like to run his back men safely. Theplay 20/16(2) would be good now if Blue's blot on the 10pt wasn't there, asit stands, leaving this blot is too expensive. One safe play is 10/4 6/4,which makes a great point but doesn't do anything towards freeing the backmen. This begs the question, does moving 20/18(2) with part of this roll,help or hinder in this cause? Sixes become blocked, which is a negative. Youare that little bit closer to home and now have a direct five to go to themidpoint, these are positives. Making the 4pt will probably happen soon.However, not doing so immediately, gives White more freedom to leave ablot(s) next roll when fleeing with his spare and/or slotting his homeboard(negative). Also, the 18pt anchor isn't as good as the Golden anchor(negative).
Hmmm... two positives and three negatives. Possibly I'm overdoing theracing theme and making too many concessions, but ultimately decided that"when ahead in the race, race". I chose what I think best serves thisobjective, 20/18(2) 10/8 6/4.

Neil Kazaross: 10/4, 6/4.
Merciful Kit has given us an easy problem with only two reasonablechoices !! We can make our 4 point with 10/4,6/4 or play 10/8, 13/11(3). I clearly prefer our 4 point to strengten our board for the contact likely coming up, noting our race lead. No other play looks close to me here since leaving a blot to be hit by a playable spare looks silly.

George Klitsas: 10/4, 6/4.
Making the 4 point (10/4 6/4) looks like the natural move here, retaining an ideal distribution of builders. Making White's bar point might or might not be an improvement, but making the 4 point sure is. Leaving the blot on the 10 point is out of the question, since the race is close.

Snowie: 10/4, 6/4.
The four point is the next point in line, so why not make it? White hasno board, so I'm not afraid of being hit.

Marty Storer: 10/4, 6/4.
Time to improve the board in anticipation of contact.Blue will soon be looking to flee, and a big advantagein board strength mitigates the risk involved in breakinganchor. White may have to leave an inner-board blotimmediately, so Blue may immediately have a good opportunityto run. The 4 point does a lot to protect a running attempt.

Bob Stringer: 10/4, 6/4.
Simplest looks best.

Kit Woolsey: 10/4, 6/4.
Whatever route this game takes, I know I am going to want that four point.It isn't so bad if White hits the blot, and if he doesn't my checkers arewhere I want them. White has no board, so this is the time to playaggressively.

Chris Yep: 20/18(2), 10/8, 6/4.
Blue has a 24 pip race lead after the roll, so wants to disengage contact if convenient. 20/18(2) 10/8 6/4 gets Blue's back men closer to home, leaves no blots, and starts the 4 pt. No other move does this much. Note that making the 4 pt. is better than just slotting it, but not so critical since White already has an advanced anchor.

Summary: Despite the racing lead, the panel was not tempted to runand solidly made the four point. This certainly appears to be the right idea here.

Problem #8   Play             Votes   Score10/4, 6/4             9      10020/18(2), 10/8, 6/4   2       7020/16(2)              0       4020/18(2), 6/4(2)      0       4013/11(3), 10/8        0       40