| 176 142 |                            | White money game Blue |
Problem #7 Play Votes Score22/13 6 1006/1*, 5/1 4 8013/8, 9/5 1 6013/8, 5/1* 0 409/5, 6/1* 0 40
Chuck Bower: 13/8, 9/5.
How much do I want the 5-point? For me that is the key questionto be answered here. If I'm not willing to play 9/5 thenpointing-on-head looks like the move. Of the 9/5 plays, 13/8 leavesfewer shots (20 vs. 23) than 6/1* and doesn't waste a checker.The PoH play wastes TWO checkers. Is trading 20 shots for9 in a complicated position worth putting two checkers (almost)out of play? I'm content holding my 5-9 points against five semitrapped checkers: 13/8, 9/5 and suffer theconsequences of my blots getting hit.
Neil Kazaross: 6/1*, 5/1.
Yuk...where's my 1 or 8 ?..Well we didn't throw one and rather than leave27 shots at our 5 point, I'll make our ace point. BG isn't a beauty contest but I prefer the ace point to my 2nd choice of simply running 22-13.George Klitsas: 22/13.
22/13, better than 13/8 9/5, looks like the winner here. I have only a doubt about 6/1* 5/1. This play could be best, but we are used not to "bury" checkers in similar positions. I will stick to the human play [22/13].
Laila Leonhardt: 6/1*, 5/1.
I like pure play: 'make your points in order, don't kill the checkers.But occasionally it is nice to simply clean up an area and remove that fromyour opponents control.The checker on the acepoint is a 'controller' that gives him flexibility.Both in control of outfield, but also giving the option that he can fallback on a deeper backgame.If there was a chance the game could develop into a prime versus prime gameagain, then I would definitely always advice against making deep points. Inthis position how ever Blue has his prime and wants to get his checkersaround and born in with the least contact with White.
Snowie: 22/13.
Once again, outfield control is the name of the game. White will probablyhit the blot on my five point, but everything else is nailed down andWhite will have to do some fancy rolling to get everybody up and overmy blockade. Other plays leave my position disjointed and give White achance to take over the outfield.
Marty Storer: 22/13.
Making the 1 point is very ugly but should be consideredbecause of White's chance to fan, his several bad come-inrolls, and his stripped and somewhat disjoint 2-5-6-8structure. I still can't stomach it. Making the 5 pointis tempting, but too big, with too many blots and shots nomatter how Blue plays the 5. Blue doesn't want White tostart hitting and flooding the outfield with builders, whichalso play the part of roving assassins. I'd rather bring achecker to safety, taking care of two blots, and making themidpoint which is potentially a lasting asset. Maybe thefour-prime will stand up. Once in a while it quickly turnsinto a five-prime; White misses Blue's 5-point slot with aquarter of his rolls.
Bob Stringer: 22/13.
I'd like to keep that prime. With 5 men back, White could have tomake awkward plays pretty soon. That means I keep the 9 point.6/1*, 5/1 is well worth considering, since I need an inner pointto offset White's much better board. However, that leaves 3 blotscut off from everyone else, which means that if bad things happenthey could end up being *really* bad. 13/8, 5/1* safeties the guyon the midpoint, but *making* the midpoint looks much, muchbetter. It leaves the man on the 5 point exposed, but unless Whiterolls a 4, he'll have to break the 3 or 4 point to hit, and then Imight get into a position to do something with my inner board.
Casper van der Tak: 6/1*, 5/1.
Over the board I would play the cute 13/8 9/5, but making the ace seems better after some more thought. The problem with 13/8 9/5 is that it leaves a lot of shots on the one hand, and that is leaves a blot to clear next turn. Meanwhile, Blue does nothing about his back checkers; in fact, playing 13/8 9/5 isolates them further. Finally, even though the 5-point is useful, breaking the 4 to make it has a cost.
22/13 is a plausible idea, establishing something of an outfield presence. However, it leaves many costly hits.
6/1* 5/1 is very ugly and abandons the attempt at making the 5-point. On the other hand, it has the advantage of being quite safe, grabs the initiative, and provides a tempo to either hit another checker or to move the back checkers up. Bit of a bot move.
Kit Woolsey: 22/13.
In this position the nine point is as good or better than the five point,since it keeps White's checkers on the three point hemmed in. 22/13 is thenatural play, escaping a back checker and locking up a good outfield point.The checker on the five point is sacrificed (maybe), but I can live with that.Making the ace point is too committal for this positional struggle.
Chris Yep: 6/1*, 5/1.
Prematurely dumping checkers behind an anchor or anchors is often wrong, especially when the opponent has a potential backgame, but here the alternatives don't look any better. Since Blue probably won't be able to make the 5 point with spares from his 6 point (if he leaves the 5 point slotted, hoping to roll a 1 to cover next turn, White has 1s, 2s, and 4s to spoil Blue's plans), these spares will often have no place to go but behind the anchors anyway. Thus 6/1* 5/1 is not as weak (in fact I like it best) a move as it would be in a more typical position. Of the moves that hit loose on the ace point, I like 6/1* 5/1 best. Typically once one starts the ace point it's best to just make it, and this position probably isn't an exception.
Of the other two moves to consider, 22/13 makes the midpoint. However in many cases Blue's stacked and stripped position will require him to soon break this newly made midpoint (else break up his front position in a worse manner), so the value of making the midpoint this turn goes down. 13/8 9/5 advances the prime but strands the back men and gives White 5s and 6s to gain 16 pips in the race.
I believe 6/1* 5/1 has several advantages over 22/13 and 13/8 9/5. First it cuts down on White's shots next turn (only 8 shots the midpoint blot). Second, it unstacks the heavy 6 point. Third, and not to be overlooked, it reduces White's chance of securing a third anchor in the future. (Although White's timing is currently bad for a backgame, the option remains open.)
Summary: In a welcome return to the good old days of positionalplay, the majority of the panel eschewed making the ace point. The botshave been leaning toward such impure plays for the last decade, but hereeven Snowie sees that purity and outfield control have the highest priorities..