Chuck Bower: 16/11, 13/12*.Hitting on the 5-point gives White 21 return shots while hitting on the 12-point leaves only 12. White has a nice 4-prime with one Blue checkeralready trapped so getting a second one sent back costs Blue a lot. 13/8brings down a builder for the 2-point, but leaves a potentially difficultcleanup with so many blots. 16/11 looks like the best 5 as it links uptwo blots while making a valuable blocking point.
Steve Clark: 16/11, 13/12*.
Hitting with 6-5 could be right. I kinda hate to give 2 direct shotssince White has a better board, but going after the 5 point is alwaysappealing. If I was going to do this, I would not try to keep my sightson his outfield blots, rather I would try to clean up my own outfieldwith 16-11. It can't be right to leave 2 direct shots and 3 otherblots. With a little bad luck all 5 of those checkers could get gluedto the bar. Remember, it is bad luck to have 3 men on the bar; 5 menon the bar is very bad luck indeed.
There are reasonable alternatives to hitting on the 5 point. Hitting onthe 12 also looks very good. Since I would then only leave one directshot, playing 12-7 and leaving a bunch of indirect blots would not be sobad. Even so, I think 16-11 is a better alternative. The 11 point ispotentially quite useful and it is always good to keep your positioncleaned up to the extent possible. I could not fault playing 6-5 but Iwill go with 16-11, 13-12.
Ray Fogerlund: 16/11, 13/12*.
Hit, but don't go blot crazy... Make the 11 pointwhich might be useful if White makes my 5 point. One play, which does not involve hitting, and was not listed among the alternatives, is quietly making the 2 point. This would give White the most dancing rolls, and the least hitting rolls. Since White owns the cube, increasing the number of rolls that leaves her helpless is not a bad idea... There is little value in owning the cube when you are on the bar and your opponent is blasting away at your numerous blots.
George Klitsas: 16/11, 13/12*.
I am one of those players that just hate leaving too many blots lying around. After this statement, my play should be clear : 16/11 13/12*. The 11 point is a crucial point for Blue to make.
Laila Leonhardt: 13/12*, 12/7.
There are several considerations.White has a dangerous strong prime. Blue would definitely not like thatWhite makes his 5-point, but it is worse to get stuck with another checkerbehind the prime.Since 5-1 is supposedly the weakest backgame my vote falls on the leastamount of direct shots with the maximum attacks, covers or indirect hitspossible.Aggressive, but with a minimum of direct shots.
Rob Maier: 16/11, 6/5*.
It seems right to hit on the five point, and the combination of doing so and buttoning up a little on the eleven point is prudent.
Snowie: 16/11, 13/12*.
Hitting loose on the five point gives White too many return shotswhich hit. I can live with White anchoring on my five point, butgetting another checker sent behind White's blockade is very expensive.My main asset here is outfield control, so I will make the play whichbuilds on that asset. Locking up the 11 point could prove to bevery valuable if White wins the fight for my five point.
Marty Storer: 13/8, 6/5*.
Go for the gusto! If White doesn'thit back on the 5 point, Blue is jumping for joy.Even if he does, there are many, many return shots.Blue does not want to allow White a direct shot tomake the 5 point, after which he'll be in the gameforever with decent chances.
Bob Stringer: 16/11, 13/12*.
I reject both 6/5* plays, because whenever I do that sort of thing itends up sticking to my face. I'm tempted by 16/11, 13/12*, but 2 blotsin my inner board when White has a nice blockade on his side seems tobe a bit much. 11/6 is far too stodgy to be right, and 12/7 mixes itup too much - anything can happen, and why take such a risk when I cancome close to consolidating an advantage now? 13/12*, 16/11 seems justright. It puts a second man on the bar, cleans up two blots and makesa very useful point.
Casper van der Tak: 16/11, 13/12*.
Pertinent features of the position: White has a strong 4 prime, Blue has one checker back, White 4 and possibly 5; Blue is a mile ahead in the race. It is clear that Blue does well to minimize hits by White, which means hitting outside, 13/12. Then, as indicated by the adage assets are everything, 16/11, locking up the 11 point, which is likely to come in handy "somewhere" in the future.
Kit Woolsey: 16/11, 13/12*.
It would be nice to fight for the five point, but I believe that givesWhite too many good rolls. We don't want to have another checker sentback. 16/11, 13/12* locks up the important 11 point and gives us goodcontrol of the outfield. If White is unable to hit or anchor, we canattack the blot on the five point next turn.
Chris Yep: 16/11, 6/5*.
An interesting position. I don't like 13/12* 11/6. With strong blitz potential Blue needs a more flexible position. Stacking another checker on the 6 point looks clearly wrong. The other moves all look strong and each has their plusses and minuses. Overall I like the combination of securing the 11 point and hitting White off the 5 point, despite the extra inner board blot it leaves. If Blue can win the fight for the 5 point with 4 or more White checkers behind Blue's prime, Blue will have a dominating position. 13/12* is also a possibility, but since Blue will still have chances to pick up the blot later, I prefer going after the 5 point. I like 16/11 6/5*.
Summary: With a lot of different possibilities available, the panelstrongly supported the outfield control approach. I believe that makes alot of sense for this position. Building on the strong parts of a positionis often the key to success.
