Rob Adams: 24/23, 10/6.Lots of choices: If Blue makes the 23pt, then I like 10/6. This leaves only one blot, and the 10pt isn't very valuable once the 4pt is made. If Blue leaves the back checkers split, safety is called for on offense. Either 13/8 or 8/4, 8/7are OK. But 13/9,
10/9 makes the valuable 9pt and so also must be considered.
I'll stick with 24/23, 10/6. White has the stronger inner board, an advanced anchor, and a stack of checkers on their 6pt; and so White will want to attack. Making the 23pt makes that more difficult. Making the 9pt is best offensively, but White already has an advanced anchor so Blue can't really expect to successfully prime or attack right now.
Nigel Alsop: 13/8.
I could only think of one sensible play, a simple 13/8, anything else would see Blue's position crumble very easy and the cube shifting back again.
John Bakovic: 13/9, 10/9.
Close chose between the conservative play of 13/8 and the more aggressive play of making the 9-point. Making the 9 blocks the 3 and if the checker on the 10 is hit will most likely take White off his 5-point anchor. Could back fire if White hits and I fan a few rolls but if not hit leaves me in a sound over position.
Chuck Bower: 13/8.
24/23 is reflexive but leaves no good 4. White's distribution of spares/attackers is not so forboding that Blue needs to anchor immediately. 13/8keeps Blue's spares well positioned, maintains the outfield block, and isreasonably safe for this roll.
Steve Clark: 13/9, 10/9.
Whenever your opponent has lots of men in your backcourt, it is usuallyquite strong to increase the length of your prime. That can beparticularly true when your opponent is is rather disorganized so the he weexperience difficulty putting together a prime in the next few rolls. Eventhough White has more inner board points than we do, this still looks likea very good time to take some risk to extend our prime. I will play 13-9,10-9.
George Klitsas: 13/9, 10/9.
Dumping checkers with hit or not, is weak in this sort of position. Weak is also any move that breaks the prime. On the contrary, one must consider moves that extend the prime, or make it more compact - even at the cost of direct hits, like 13/9 10/9 (my solution). My second choice would be 13/8. My third choice, one that is not included as a candidate, 24/20 13/12, duplicating fours.
Rob Maier: 6/1*.
A truly special number. I'm not willing to break any of my points with this debacle. 6/2 is an easy four. Anchoring was briefly tempting, but I don't want to leave the blot at risk roll after roll, I'd rather force White to come in in front of it if he misses the first time. Of course, the blot on the ace point may be a liability later, but that's for later.
Snowie: 13/9, 10/9.
The ten point isn't effective, since it is six away from the three pointwhich I already own. The nine point, on the other hand, is very effective.White has four men back, and I want to make it difficult for him to escape.
Marty Storer: 13/8.
I can't find a way to justify the big 13/9 10/9. That leavesa direct shot and two outside blots, in a close race where White gainsa lot by hitting one of them. Improving the blocking position doesn'tseem to justify that risk. The back checkers are in some danger, but notenough to justify the antipositional 6/2 24/23 or the tempo-gaining 6/1*.We're left with 13/8, which leaves an indirect shot and loses the midpoint,but keeps everything else intact. 13/8 isn't spectacular or clever, but itlooks right.
Bob Stringer: 24/23, 13/9.
Anything that leaves the back men split and a blot in the outfield isasking to be attacked, which rules out 13/9, 10/9. .The 8 and10 pointsare strong, so I'm not giving them up. I don't see what 6/2 or 6/1*accomplishes. That leaves 13/8 and my choice. 13/8 seems blah - nottrying hard enough -- whereas 24/23 stops While from attacking so Ican also play 13/9 and threaten to make a 5 point prime. It givesWhite a double shot, but he might miss, and one of the hits makes himgive up the anchor.
Casper van der Tak: 13/9, 10/9.
The stack on White's 6 point argues for 24/23, anchoring with the one, but there is no good 4 to go with that: 13/9 leaves a double shot and two blots; 6/2 strips the 6 and leaves a blot, and 10/6 also leaves a blot and a shot while destroying Blue's blocking position. Probably 6/2 is the best 4 to go with 24/23.
What are the other possibilities? 13/9 10/9 and 13/8 come to mind. 13/9 10/9 leaves a blot, but it provides an effective block against the White check on the 22, tightens the block against the anchor, and slots the fifth point of the prime. This is my choice, although a case can be made for 13/8, which does little to improve Blue's position, but also does not destroy it.
Kit Woolsey: 13/9, 10/9.
My main asset is my strong outfield blockade and White having four men back,so I choose to work on building up that asset. The difference between owningthe nine and ten point is quite significant here. The ten point is the fifthpart of a prime, which means that in order to escape White will have tobring any checker up to my five point before it can get out. That longterm advantage should compensate for any immediate danger, particularly sincenothing else is very safe anyway.
Chris Yep: 13/9, 10/9.
24/23 is fine except for the awkward 4 it leaves. 6/1* looks like the wrong idea since not only does it strip Blue's 6 point, but White has the stronger board and an advanced anchor; furthermore White isn't really threatening much on the other side of the board. I favor keeping a strong block against 4 checkers; thus I like either 13/8 or 13/9 10/9. Of these I slightly favor 13/9 10/9. After 13/9 10/9, White will only have one escape route for his two rearmost checkers (through Blue's 5 point). It gives White's 5s to hit, but White's 5s are somewhat duplicated on the other side of the board. Finally if White misses, Blue has 3s to make a solid 5-prime next turn.
Summary: Making the nine point was the clear consensus of the panel, withother choices only getting scattered support. I must admit that, while thiswas my play, it was far from obvious to me. I guess the fact that nothingelse is very attractive is what made the difference.
