| 158 154 |                          | White money game Blue |
Problem #7 Play Votes ScoreB/21, 15/11, 13/9(2) 8 100B/21, 15/11, 8/4(2)* 4 80B/21, 13/9, 8/4(2)* 1 60B/21, 13/9(3) 1 60B/21, 13/1 0 40B/21, 8/4(3)* 0 40
Chuck Bower: B/21, 15/11, 8/4(2)*.
White is in disarray and Blue should take advantage of that. Pointing-on-head is big. White has a vulnerable blot remaining in his homeboard, a stripped 8-point, and stacks on the 6 and 13-points. 15/11 moves a blot from a point White would like to hit loose on to a point where hitting means giving up the only asset added to White's opening setup. White has given Blue the green light. Jam the accelerator to the floor.
Steve Clark: B/21, 15/11, 8/4(2)*.
If White had more structure, I probably would play b-21, 8-4(3). Buthere I am in little danger from being hit, so I can take a little morerisk. As in problem 6, it seems as though I can make the 4 point or the9 point. Again it could be right to make either point but again I willgo for the 4 point, in particular because I get to put a checker on thebar as well as make an inner board point.
After making the 4 point, I guess I will play 15-11. This duplicates4's for White (for whatever that is worth), and the alternatives areunappealing. In particular I do not really care for moving 3 men to the4 point. This does bring another builder for the blot on the ace pointbut I do not want to push too many checkers past Whites men on my barpoint. Rather I want to build my 8 point next roll rather that moveinward at this time. I will play b-21, 8-4(2), 15-11.
Doug Doub: B/21, 15/11, 13/9(2).
I'm not willing to break our good 8pt for asomewhat better 4pt, just to hit, when the cost is a direct shot at our 1ptand a highly ragged position. My play unstacks our midpoint while making auseful 9pt, and brings a blot around to where White will not be especiallyanxious to hit it.
Ray Fogerlund: B/21, 15/11, 8/4(2)*.
I am not sure about this, but it doesquite a few things. It points on White, robbing half of her roll. It brings the builder "around the corner", where it can be most effective. Also, though there are a few blots with this play 1s and 4s are duplicated, and White has a lot of work to do to clean up her position at the same time. Tidying it up will be much more difficult if part of her turn is used to enter. Mostly, I just think that I want to play some backgammon here. Minimizing shots when contact is unavoidable anyway is not all that effective. If I point on White here, I know that 11% of the time she will not move at all. Also, two-six from the bar sucks! In fact, sixes in general will be awkward to play, so it is important to attack in order to create bad luck for White!
Ilia Guzei: B/21, 15/11, 13/9(2).
Blue enters with one 4, makes his 9 point with the other two and looks for the fourth 4. The choice is close between 13/9 and 15/11. 13/9 strips the midpoint, brings down an unimportant builder, but duplicates White's 3's. 15/11 brings down a builder for the 5 point and exposes a blot that will likely cost White an anchor should he decide to hit. The checker distribution is slightly better after 15/11 so that's my play.
George Klitsas: B/21, 15/11, 13/9(2).
B/21 15/11 13/9(2). Duplicating 4's and keeping the eight point with the spare on it. Blue needs some structure to bring this position home.
Laila Leonhardt: B/21, 13/9, 8/4(2)*.
No home board for White,,,,thats a battle signal to take charge and lead theattack.Even if White should hit from the bar, Blue is well in the game and with the4 point he owns that little but mostly very important difference, he has onepoint more in his home board.
Snowie: B/21, 15/11, 13/9(2).
Making the four point leaves my position a disjointed mess. My playunstacks the heavy midpoint, makes the valuable nine point in front ofhis anchor, and puts checkers in decent places. I am trying to bringall 15 checkers around at one time, not divide my army into fragmentedpieces.
Marty Storer: B/21, 15/11, 13/9(2).
When ahead in the race, race. This position seems to boildown to that. Making the 4 point isn't very dangerous, butmaking the 9 point isn't, either, and the 9 point is a lotmore valuable in this position. If White hits, he probablyhas to break anchor, and the hitting 4's are duplicated toattack in the inner board.
Bob Stringer: B/21, 15/11, 13/9(2).
My chosen play makes a good point and puts the blot in a positionwhere White's only direct shot breaks his anchor on the bar pointunless he rolls 4-3. The plays that make the 4 point pay too big aprice by either vacating the 8 point or leaving a blot there. 13/9(3)strips the midpoint too early in the game. 13/1 is ok, I suppose,since the blot on the ace point has to be covered sometime, but thatseems like a waste of three dice when there's a better point to bemade.
Casper van der Tak: B/21, 15/11, 13/9(2).
B/21 8/4*(2) and another 4 is a weak switch for the sake of gaining a tempo which Blue does not really need. B/21 13/1 also looks ugly, although it has the merit of covering the blot on the ace.
B/21 13/9 (3) is reasonable, making another useful point, but strips the midpoint. Compared to B/21 13/9(2), B/21 15/11 13/9(2) has a number of advantages: it does not strip the midpoint, and it leaves the blot where White would need to break the bar to hit (or hit a combination shot). B/21 13/9(3) has the advantage of keeping the two back checkers better connected, but I think the advantages of B/21 15/11 13/9(2) relative to B/21 13/9(3) outweigh the disadvantages.
Kit Woolsey: B/21, 15/11, 8/4(2)*.
It is hard to resist the combination of making a good inner board pointand putting the opponent on the bar. The resulting position isscattered, but I think I can afford that because White also has amess. I will have the advantage in a blot-hitting contest due to mystronger inner board, so one of the safer plays is not necessary.
Chris Yep: B/21, 13/9(3).
All candidate moves are good (although 15/11 8/4*(2) and 13/9 8/4*(2) seem a little loose). I like b/21 13/9(3) for its balance on both sides of the board. On the offensive side of the board, it makes the 9 point and gives Blue the best possible building potential. On the defensive side of the board it keeps the back checkers connected and retains Blue's outfield coverage.
Summary: Positional before tactical says the majority of the panel.Makes sense, since making the four point leaves Blue a disjointed positionand Blue will have only a two-point board anyway. Still, the opportunityto point on an opponent on the offensive four point is hard to pass up.