Alan Alsop: 13/8, 11/7.I prefer not to bury my men too deep with White's advanced anchor. Running is not an option leaving White two blots to hit. Blue does have his back men nicely split. The only move is to bring down another man and slot the bar pt.
Chuck Bower: 13/8, 11/7.
White has no convenient 4, the onlysafe play on the homeside is the unappetizing 11/2.Given that I'm not making that move, movingthe back checkers into further danger is also out. 13/8,11/7 puts checkers in good positions and likely leadsto several return shots if White decides to hit on thebarpoint.
Doug Doub: 13/8, 11/7.
We could play safe with 11-2, but it is unattractive tothrow a man so deep and behind our opponent's anchor. 23-14 leaves manyshots for only moderate gain when not hit. Since our opponent has anadvanced anchor, trying for one ourselves with 23-18, 11-7 is the normalapproach, but White's formation is awkward, and we should avoid giving him agood way to start the bar point conveniently.
13-8,11-7 gives White a direct shot at our blot, but he will not be terriblyanxious to give up his anchor just yet. Adding a spare to the 8pt is asignificant improvement, and should be worth the cost of the shot we leave.
Oystein Johansen: 13/8, 11/7.
Yuck! I must save the blot on 11. And then I must do somethingconstructive to avoid facing a cube in the next rolls. The first thing that comes to my mind is 13/8 11/7, but it doesn't totally save the blot, it only makes it a bit more awkward for White to hit it. The alternative must be 11/2 but that's to passive I believe. 13/8 11/7 must be the move, but I'm very uncertain about this.
Neil Kazaross: 13/8, 11/7.
This 54 isn't great but we have to play it. Running leaves a doubleshot and two blots in the outfield and is regected. So, the choice is between 11/2 or the more constructive 13/8, 11/7 which leaves more balance and places the checkers in better spots and seems worth the risk. 13/8, 11/7 is my play.
George Klitsas: 23/18, 11/7.
Blue must try to make White's bar point (23/18) with a more or less equal game. After that, the four plays itself (11/7). Therefore, my play is 23/18 11/7.
Laila Leonhardt: 23/18, 11/7.
Very nice anchor and want to bet he wont leave it to hit?The 7-point may just be as good as made unless White can get a safe double hit.Slotting the bar point puts the optimal pressure on White. If Blue makes it, he is back in the game in full force.Owning the cube does give Blue the freedom to play bold and rattle White's chain. Facing a 4 cube is never a nice feeling and when White rolls that deuce you might see just how strong owning that cube can be when White has to decide how to play it.
Achim Mueller: 13/8, 11/7.
If Blue wants to save his checker on the 11-point, he has to bury itdeep into his on homeboard. Let's be optimistic and assume that Whitefails to hit. "Put your checkers where you get the most benifit, whenthey don't get hit (Another Kit Woolsey?)!" And this is Blues barpoint.
Snowie: 13/8, 11/7.
I put my checkers where they belong. It will cost White his anchor tohit me, and he isn't too anxious to lose that anchor right now. If Whitedoesn't hit, I will be well-placed to improve my structure. Movingthe checker on the 23 point doesn't accomplish anything, and 11/2 takesme too deep.
Marty Storer: 13/8, 11/7.
Blue doesn't want to dump a checker behind White's anchor. The 11-pointblot stops Blue from running or coming out to the 18; that's just toodangerous. 13/8 11/7 stays flexible. Blue doesn't want to be hit, buthe doesn't need a blot in his board in upcoming tactical exchanges.The lesser evil seems to be to leave the direct shot. Though Whitewill hit if he can, hitting is a mixed blessing because the anchorhas to be given up.
Bob Stringer: 13/8, 11/7.
This sort of a position seems to come up a lot - where the enemy'smade my 5 point, I have a blot on my 11 point and the rest of theposition is undeveloped. It seems that *every time* I leave theblot on the 11 point in this kind of position, White hits me andticks me off, and so I'm buttoning up. An extra checker on the 8point can't be bad, and my bar point is a dangerous place forWhite to hit. It would be nice to keep option of making my 11point, but White's chance of hitting that blot are better than mychance of making the point.
Kit Woolsey: 11/2.
I don't see the need to leave any shots here. Having a third checkersent back could be very bad. I can use any inner board point I can make,so 11/2 does not bury the checker. The gains from slotting the bar pointaren't so great, since even if I make it White will have no difficultyescaping.
Chris Yep: 13/8, 11/7.
Blue's back men are fine where they are. They're split, giving Blue reasonable opportunities to make an advanced anchor or hit in the outfield. Splitting out to the 18 point does not seem particularly necessary. White currently has an awkward structure for a priming game. In fact if Blue plays 23/18 it allows White to hit with a 6 which otherwise would likely be awkward. I believe Blue should work completely on his offense. 13/8 11/7 adds a spare to the 8 point and slots the bar point (if White chooses to hit with a 2-x, Blue will usually get plenty of return shots from the bar).
Summary: The mandate of the panel was clearly in favor of slottingthe bar point. This does leave a smooth position, but is it reallywork the risk of being hit? After all, making the bar point isn't goingto hem White in. I can see the arguments for this approach, but I'mstill not convinced.
