Chuck Bower: 13/10, 13/9.A classic "least of evils" problem. Sorta reminds me of the last severalpresidential elections. Here the evils divide into many categories: break your anchor, break your prime, give up the midpoint, schlepp checkerssloppily into your homeboard, or a combination of two of the above. Yeck!
Which of Blue's assets is the least valuable? It appears to me to be either the midpoint or the spares on the 6-point. I don't really like concedingTWO things, so 13/9, 6/3 is out. It's down to three choices: 6/3, 6/2; 13/6; or 13/9, 13/10. With White's stripped position, it initially appears that keeping the midpoint will cause White more headaches, but note thatWhite can often comfortably give up his 10-point, and if Blue plays 6/2,6/3 White won't really mind leaving a blot, anyway.
After 13/9, 13/10, the blot on the 10-point is two fewer shots compared toleaving one on the midpoint. In addition, 13/9, 13/10 leaves the best distribution of spares. That's my evil choice.
Steve Clark: 7/3, 6/3.
I don't particularly want to play 22-18 because of all the blots. Nordo I want to play off the 13 or the 9 points. Both of these plays justlook like I am collapsing my position.
That seems to leave 6-3, 6-2 or 7-3, 6-3. Playing 2 men off the 6 pointis safer but it does leave 3 blots which will be difficult to coverproperly. I think I would rather have an additional inner point madesince White is likely to leave me a shot on the coming roll. In lightof my new policy of being brave (see problem 4), I will play 7-3, 6-3.
Ray Fogerlund: 7/3, 6/3.
Make the 3 point, building a better board when White'sstripped position is about to yield a shot. Can't play safe... so get the table set in case you have "company".
George Klitsas: 7/3, 6/3.
Playing without an anchor (and having already been doubled), looks to me extremely dangerous in this position, so I reject 22/18 6/3. Also, I reject any move that abandons the midpoint, dividing Blue's army in two. The safe 6/3 6/2, creating two temporary inner blots, allows White freedom of moves. The bold 7/3 6/3 (my choice) creates a strong inner board and...a poisoned checker (blot) on Blue's bar point. Problems 3-4-5 have definitely something in common.
Laila Leonhardt: 7/3, 6/3.
In general one should not clear ones midpoint having 2 or more checkers inthe opponents home board, simply because of the risk of being primed.And this is no exception.The midpoint is what will keep Blue in control of the outfield, preventWhite from running with a back checker and provide safe haven for the backcheckers to come around the board.If the blot on the bar point is hit, this does not mean that Blue is in moretrouble. Actually this could pose a chance for Blue to counter attack. Witha 3-point board, White may fan and Blue pick up an additional checker orsimply succeed in building another point or prime.If no such good luck story, then an extra checker back will give Blue somepossible flexibility that he was else running out of.
Rob Maier: 7/3, 6/3.
We can't move the back checker, and the midpoint is too valuable to break, so something has to give up front. Since we can make another inside point, that seems to be the winner.
Snowie: 7/3, 6/3.
I put my checkers where I want them. The three point is next in line, andit will be a valuable point should there be some blot-hitting. I canafford to give up the bar point, since my checkers on the ten point doa good job of containing White's back men. If White hits, I will probablyhave plenty of return shots. Otherwise, my next roll figures to playcomfortably, since I have a spare on the six point and the checker on thebar point to work with. No other play is nearly as productive.
Marty Storer: 7/3, 6/3.
White is stripped; I don't want tobreak either the midpoint or the 22 point. Bothof those points are very important to the long-termgame plan. I don't really want to dismantle my brokenfour-prime, but something has to give. 6/3 6/2 is toohorrible to think of. 7/3 6/3 improves the inner board,which makes it somewhat costly for White to hit. I'lllet White come to me; my chances are OK even if I'm hit.
Bob Stringer: 7/3, 6/3.
I didn't think too long about this one. No way I'll break the anchor.Maintaining the midpoint isn't as vital, but I hate giving it up. I'mbehind in the race already, so leaving a blot is not a crime, andmaking the 3 point does something productive. That's it.
Casper van der Tak: 7/3, 6/3.
White leads in the race, but is stripped, with all spares stacked on the 6. Therefore, I would not bolt away from my anchor. Also, I'd try to find a play that makes it difficult for White to leave the anchor with a hit. However, both 9/6 9/5 (giving up the blockade) and 6/3 6/2 (removing the spares from the 6, and leaving a mess in Blue's homeboard) look feeble. 7/3 6/3 is a compromise play: it provides control over the board, and prepares to build a welcoming committee for the future. 13/9 13/10 is also appealing, but the loss of the midpoint is too much for me.
Kit Woolsey: 7/3, 6/3.
Nothing is particularly productive, so it looks right to build up theinner board and prepare for future battle. White leaves his anchor tohit at his own risk.
Chris Yep: 7/3, 6/3.
Breaking the anchor gives White too many attacking opportunities. Breaking the midpoint strands Blue's three back men. 6/2 6/3 is a waiting move, but strips Blue's position and leaves future rolls awkward. By elimination then, I like 7/3 6/3 and 9/6 9/5. Of these two moves I have a slight preference for 7/3 6/3 as it creates a stronger board and unstacks the 6 point. If White hits, Blue will have a fair number of return shots from the bar. 9/6 9/5 puts another checker on the 6 point and looks a little awkward.
Summary: A landslide vote for the clearly correct play of makingthe three point. There really isn't much to be said in favor of anyof the alternatives.
