| 137 140 |                          | White money game Blue |
Problem #5 Play Votes Score6/1* 5 10022/21, 13/9 2 7013/8 2 7013/9, 6/5 2 7022/18, 7/6 1 6024/23, 22/18 0 4024/23, 13/9 0 4013/9, 7/6 0 40
Chuck Bower: 6/1*.
Blue is a bit vulnerable here, with no anchor and Whitehaving builders ready to point-on-head. 6/1* is awkwardbecause it is Blue's last spare on the 6-point, butthematically it still looks right. One back? Attack!
Ilia Guzei: 6/1*.
Everything points to an aggressive play. I am behind in the race with more checkers back and the better board. I do not need to know much else but Blue does have three builders in range for covering. With luck, I can attack White�s blot on the 14 point or anchor up. Hitting also rips White of half the roll preventing him from using his numerous spares for building the board.
Neil Kazaross: 6/1*.
Hmm..lousy roll with White having an array of builders and us havinga 3 point board. While it strips away our builder on the 6 point and doesn't help us in our priming goals, I still think we need to whack White with 6-1x, since he just has too many good things to do if we don't hit. I hit and will enjoy the 25% of the time White dances.
George Klitsas: 22/18, 7/6.
With the better board, Blue can opt for the �action play� 22/18 7/6 - 7/6 looks slightly better than 24/23, which gives White a few more pointing numbers.
Laila Leonhardt: 22/21, 13/9.
It's almost tempting to his loose on the ace point, but the situation is notthat desperate yet. It will get there soon though, so Blue really has tofocus on the duplication. When White makes a good roll, let him pick andwhen he rolls another number let him sweat.If Blue does get pointed on, then he can take the ace point hit in use if heneeds a small break to catch his breath. Will White hit loose on the 4 pointif he cannot cover?That's why you put a checker there,,,,,make him sweat.
Snowie: 6/1*.
I have the bigger board, White has one man back, and White has someserious threats to improve his position. Let's keep White busy sohe can't carry out any of his threats. Who knows -- maybe he'll flunk.
Marty Storer: 6/1*.
I've seen many similar positions where loose hits areright, even an old GOL problem or two. Prime an anchor, attacka blot, people keep saying, and I've been surprised how wellthat simple aphorism holds up. Here Blue's board is strongerand he has more checkers back. (Magriel shows his face again.) Whitehas a threatening stance and Blue doesn't have enough builders fora nasty counterthreat. Blue can stay in the game by making the 22point after being hit, and meanwhile White has 25% bad 'uns. Mysecond choice is 7/3 22/21 to stubbornly never leave a blot on the9 point, while giving decent backwards improvement chances. Botsgenerally hate stepping to the 18 point in similar situations,and I've mostly agreed with them.
Bob Stringer: 13/9, 6/5.
There were better rolls. I'm not doing anything with either backman, since that begs to be swallowed up whole. The reasonableplays come down to either 13/9 plus something or 6/1*, which inthis position looks like an attacking play rather than one thatbides my time. The attack looks too hard to carry off, though, soI go with 13/9. What to play with it? I need to be able to play a5 on my side of the board, since it's blocked on White's side.That makes me leave the checker on the 9 point instead of movingit up to the 8, and so the choice is between 7/6 and 6/5. As uglyas stripping the 6 point looks, it gives me a better chance ofmaking the 4 point, so that's my choice.
Casper van der Tak: 13/8.
Simple and sound, a builder for the 2 and 4 point, and a slot for the 8 in its own right. I do not like any play involving 13/9 and playing the ace elsewhere, since the checker on the 9 only works as a builder for the 4-point, and slotting the 9 is unimportant with the 3-point already made. Anyway, any other ace than 9/8 after 13/9 either hurts the spare distribution (7/6 or 6/5) or makes it easier for White to PoH (22/21, 24/23).
Kit Woolsey: 22/21, 13/9.
This develops on both sides of the board and goes after the best anchor.We have the stronger inner board and White has only one man back, sowe don't mind if White hits loose on his four point. This play willlook bad if White rolls a perfecta to make the four point on our head,but since he has only three builders the odds are against that.
Chris Yep: 13/9, 6/5.
6/1* is a very strong candidate since Blue has the stronger board and White only has one man back. However I think Blue gets better value with a more positional move here. I don't like 22/18 (or 22/21). The 7 point (along with the 4 point) is the next point that White wants to make. Since White has 3 builders aiming at this point he will most likely win the fight for this point. Meanwhile Blue will not be able to develop on the other side of the board. Therefore I think it crucial that Blue balance his position with 13/9. Of all the moves involving 13/9 (including 13/8), 13/9 6/5 stands out for its diversification of numbers -- 1s, 3s, and 5s bear on the open 4 point while 4s and 6s allow him to run a back man.
Summary: Is it really right to sacrifice our last spare on the six point to hit looseon the ace point when we have our bar point made so White's back checker isalready where we want it. I can see the potential need for a tempo play,but I still think this is carrying that theme a bit far.