Chuck Bower: 18/14, 18/13.Ahead in the race, this looks like a good time to vamoose. Note that althoughWhite gets 20 shots at the blot, only eight rolls hit and cover, and five of those give Blue return deuces on the 11-point. Often a race lead combinedwith the 18-point results in being held hostage. Keeping the 18-pointjust doesn't feel right in this position.
Steve Clark: 13/4.
13-4, duplicating the 3's which would make White's 5 point, jumps out atme as the right play. Hmm, I could play 13-8, 6-2, duplicating aces,but this is not so pretty. If my opponent misses me on the 4 point, Iwill be able to make a more constructive board. I could go through thealternatives but none of them attract my eye at all. I will play 13-4.
Ray Fogerlund: 13/9, 6/1*.
This one is close, I would probably slot the 4 pointwith 13/4 just as often. However, it looks like it can assist my game plan if White is forced forward. One extra shot this way, but White will be exposed if she hits with a 9 from the bar... Slotting the 4 is nice, and when it works I probably cover, but then I still have to be careful coming home with Whites back man guarding my home board, so... I'll try to eliminate this problem now when I have to leave a blot anyway...
George Klitsas: 13/9, 6/1*.
13/4 is ok, aiming for the better point. Still, I prefer the more aggressive and more flexible 13/9 6/1*. Both plays make use (with different numbers) of the principle of duplication and are close in equity terms in any case.
Laila Leonhardt: 18/14, 18/13.
Away Houdini!. Get off that bar point while the game is still open and youstill have a prisoner in your home board.If hit he still has to cover and if no hit then Blue has a strong positionto prime and double White.
Rob Maier: 13/4.
Shots whatever we do, we might as well slot the better point, we might accidently form a prime later.
Snowie: 13/9, 6/1*.
Running from the anchor and leaving a double shot gives away too much,particularly since even if the shot is missed I am far from a claim.As long as I am going to have to leave something, I might as wellput White on the bar and rob him of half of his roll. In addition myplay unstacks the heavy six point and duplicates White's aces. Nothingelse accomplishes much, and other plays are too risky.
Marty Storer: 13/9, 6/1*.
I think keeping White off balance isa very good idea here. It makes it harder for Whiteto take care of his blots on the 14 and 5 points.Bringing a builder/slot to the 9 point also helps.Alternatives, of which I like 13/4 best, don't seemto put enough pressure on White.
Bob Stringer: 13/9, 6/1*.
18/14, 18/13 is worth a definite look. Although it leaves a doubleshot, if I'm missed life is good; if I'm hit, odds are I'll get achance to hit back on White's 5 point. The plays which make an innerboard point don't look as good, especially since they make a 6 muchbetter for White than it otherwise would be. 13/4 is not bad, exceptthat a high roll next time really disrupts my structure. 6/1* issimply a way to bide my time. If White doesn't hit, I get somebreathing space, and if he misses I'm going to have a return shotunless he rolls 1-1. As between 13/9, 6/1* and 18/14, 18/13? I can'tmake up my mind. I chose 6/1* by doing a mental coin toss.
Casper van der Tak: 13/4.
In similar positions without the White blot on the 14-point, 18/13 18/14 is best. Here, the extra shots should deter Blue from doing that. White's blot on the 5 is a complicating factor, sometimes Blue get return hits there, but Blue may miss, or White may hit and cover. Conclusion: 18/13 18/14 is out.
Among the other plays, 13/4 rates to be most constructive if missed, and it duplicates 3s. 13/8 6/2 leaves less shots, but slots a less important point. Making the 3 or 2 point does not take advantage of duplication, and breaks a valuable point in the process. Finally, 13/9 6/1* leaves more shots and is not particularly constructive. The verdict: 13/4
Kit Woolsey: 13/9, 6/1*.
An ugly roll. There is no way to play safe. Running is a possibility,but a double-shot may be conceding too much. Making the three point orthe two point is possible, but this gives White the potential of escapingwith a hit which wouldn't be good. I think the loose hit on the ace pointis best. White's aces are very duplicated, and he can't escape veryeasily. The checker on the nine point is a valuable builder, and unstackingthe heavy six point can't be bad.
Chris Yep: 13/9, 6/1*.
Blue has to leave a shot no matter what he plays. He could make the 2 point or 3 point but these points are probably too low in his board. Breaking the anchor gives White a double shot. There is some merit to leaving the anchor now since White only has a 1 point board, but since Blue is still not close to "home free" even if White misses the shot, it looks better to hold on to the anchor for now. I believe Blue should play 13/9 6/1* which duplicates 1s, develops a builder, and may give Blue the opportunity to play behind White if White has to enter higher up in Blue's board.
Summary: The panel recognized the value of the loose hit on theace point in this position. When all else doesn't work, try puttingthe opponent on the bar. You never know what might happen.
