sol5038m.htm | Gammonline - Backgammon Resources

Alan Alsop: 13/9, 13/8.
There is not a clear play, which gives Blue better control of the board. Blue will not want to waste too many men by pushing them behind White, which looks the easy option. White is bunched up and lacking some flexibility up front. Moving from the midpt is the only play allowing Blue to keep his structure without too many blots around. White can't hit from the 5 pt. but extra Blue builders are brought down. Blue can recycle if hit from the bar pt or it keeps Blues running momentum flowing. The outfield is adequately covered from the 16 pt.

Chuck Bower: 13/9, 13/8.
Something has got to give. I don't think this is the kind ofposition where dumping checkers behind opp's prime is a wiseploy. Giving up the 16-point not only strands the back checkerbut gives White a ton of shots. The only thing left to do isbring both checkers off the midpoint. After 13/8, 13/9, many of White's subsequent hits give up the real anchor.

George Klitsas: 13/8, 6/2.
13/8 6/2 looks like the most constructive move here.

Snowie: 13/9, 13/8.
I can't afford to take checkers out of play. I am well ahead in therace, so I don't need my midpoint for containing purposes -- it will justbe a point to clear later on. It won't hurt too much to be hit now, andWhite won't want to leave the anchor on my five point. My playputs my checkers where they belong.

Marty Storer: 13/8, 6/2.
.Blue hates to dump two checkers, so mayas well play for a four-point board to improve thetactical situation. It will be very hard for Blue toget home without leaving some shots, and it's not badto leave a shot now in return for good chances to makethe 2 point or to successfully move ahead a runner.It's good to keep the blot on the midpoint, givingpossibilities to relink, as well as more returns comparedto hitting variations after 13/8 13/9.

Bob Stringer: 13/9, 13/8.
Not that I can think of any really similar positions, but I suspectthat I'm nevertheless influenced by the fact that I've been goingthrough Modern Backgammon lately, and have visions of plays that breakthe midpoint in order to gain time. There's too much play left in thisgame in order to be dumping checkers out of play, such as through 6/1,4/1, and I've got to bring my back men around together in order to doit safely. The midpoint is going to be dangerous to break someday, sowhy not do it now, and use the 16 point as my place of relative safety- out of range of a direct shot. And if White hits now, it's not thatbig of a deal, since he doesn't have a board.

Casper van der Tak: 8/4, 8/3.
Ugly, but getting checkers hit back hurts too much (the game plan is to escape and run home), and I don�t want to strip my position to slot a couple of home board (6/1 6/2, my second choice), since these home board points reduce my tactical options. 13/8 13/9 clears a point that will need to be cleared eventually, creates some spares, and leaves 20 shots, and is my third choice over 13/4 and 13/8 6/2 (also 20 shots, but with more repeaters and more difficult clean up).

Steve Wood: 13/9, 13/8.
I want to keep my checkers where they are useful, so I don't dump on my ace/deuce or give up my 8. I want to keep my 16 as a base to escape to. This leaves 13/9 13/8 or 13/4. 13/4 almost kills a checker so 13/8 13/9 it is.

Kit Woolsey: 6/2, 6/1.
Losing the spares on the six point is not appealing, but I would liketo fill in the lower points in my board so this move isn't necessarilytaking checkers out of play. The alternatives involve breakingthe eight point or leaving a shot, which are also things I don't wantto do.

Chris Yep: 13/9, 13/8.
8/4 8/3 and 6/2 6/1 are safe but dump checkers behind White's anchor(s) and cost Blue flexibility. Since White only has a 1-point board, Blue shouldn't be too concerned about playing safely. The most natural move appears to be 13/9 13/8. It doesn't dump any checkers behind White's anchor(s) and is relatively easy to clean up next turn if Blue is missed. Although it loses connectivity with Blue's other outfield checkers, Blue still has control over most of the outfield and can either try to link up his checkers again after he springs his back man or wait for doubles to clear his 16 point.

Summary: The panel was willing to leave the double shot in order tokeep a good structure for the future. In retrospect, I believe that thisis correct. The game isn't going to be decided by the next roll.