Chuck Bower: 13/9, 6/4(2).13/9 seems clear. The 9-point is valuable for blocking the 20-point. Thereare three candidates for the last two deuces: 20/18(2); 13/11(2); and 6/4(2).20/18(2) is at best a neutral trade, and probably a net loss since the 20-pointanchor is likely to be needed in the future. 13/11(2) is also a shift, but a positive one since the 11-point efficiently blocks White's anchor.The problem with this play is that all Blue's spares are now on a single point. 6/4(2) makes the most valuable homeboard point available and is less likely to have to slop checkers onto random homeboard points but almostforces Blue to give up a point next turn, probably the midpoint. It's closebut 6/4(2) seems more pleasing to my eye, so I'll go with that.
Malcolm Davis: 20/18(2), 13/9.
Ahead in the race, advancing the anchor and makingthe 9-point seems rather automatic.
Hal Heinrich: 20/18(2), 13/9.
Blue is ahead in the race and has doubled - so Blue should race. Thisis best achieved by advancing the back men and making the nine point.This is a little awkward, and the four point sure looks nice - but theneeds of the position are best addressed by the play selected.
George Klitsas: 13/9, 6/4(2).
Compared to the anchor on our opponent's bar point, the golden anchor is usually preferable in my opinion, for a number of reasons. The most significant of these reasons is that when we lose the timing battle, we are NOT exposed to a shot from our opponent's midpoint. Here the timing is wrong for Blue and the alternative to the shifting play 20/18(2) is the strong improvement 6/4(2). My solution is 13/9 6/4(2).
Laila Leonhardt: 20/18(2), 13/9.
With White owning the cube, Blue wants to try to make a clean escape and make it into a race if possible.He might have to leave a shot when clearing the bar point next time, but with 7-8 and 9 point made he has some good landing points to clear the midpoint with.Building points behind White's anchor has no value for Blue. This is something he can do with rolls that does not play safe or clears on the outside.
Rob Maier: 13/11(2), 13/9.
I must admit to not looking at this one too deeply. We have a decent race lead, and want to try to bring our back checkers home safely. This does not mean we have to move them at every opportunity, even if we do roll a set. Locking up the broken five prime inhibits White's racing chances, AND, staying back on the five point keeps White from slotting or making it, which makes it safer to run with one checker next roll. The five prime is also a nice backup if the lone checker has later problems getting moving.
Kevin McGrath: 13/9, 6/4(2).
The 9 point gives Blue 4 in a row and making a good inner board point is certainly better than moving up to White's bar or breaking the midpoint.
Martin Short: 13/9, 6/4(2).
Making the 9 and 11pts makes a nice prime and jumpedout at me at first but then I wondered what I would dofor an encore. That stack on the 6pt does me no goodso I chose to make the 4 and 9pts instead. It leavesme a little more flexible which is important for theholding game this may turn out to be. Tough to go toowrong on this one but I think 13/9 6/4(2) is best.
Snowie: 13/11(2), 13/9.
This is a matter of control. If I can prevent White from springing oneof his back checkers, his game is going to fall apart. Next turn I canrun my back men, or if they can't move I can play off my six point. Myblockade is going to be staring White in the face for quite a while.
Marty Storer: 13/9, 6/4(2).
Simple and good. The 4 point is valuable;there's still plenty of contact left in this position.I don't want to lose the midpoint and release pressureon White's midpoint, even to block the anchor. 13/920/18(2) looks OK, but it strips the outside position,loses the better anchor, and allows White too muchfreedom to build his board.
Bob Stringer: 13/11(2), 13/9.
I like blocking White's men on my five point. And if I'm going to dothat, making a point with 13/9 looks to make life more difficult forhim than lifting the blot with 9/7. Second choice is 20/18(2), 13/9,6/4. Since I'm slightly ahead in the race, White has slightly bettertiming, and moving from his 5 to the bar point helps in that respect.I prefer my first choice, though, because it seems to cause moreproblems for White's getting his back men out of there. Either play,and I think my strategy is the same - get my men on his side of theboard moving soon.
Casper van der Tak: 13/9, 6/4(2).
Two 2's are easy: 13/9, to cover the 9 point and make the 4-prime and an additional landing point. For the remainder of the roll, three options: 20/18(2) 6/4(2) and 13/11(2).
It might seem that 20/18 (2) would follow the principle of racing when ahead in the race, and might also help in the timing battle. However, any blot left on the 18 point is easier to attack than a blot left on the 20 point, keeping the 20-point makes it more difficult for White to build his board, and the 20-point puts some pressure on the 8 and 9 point - some of white future rolls will play awkwardly because of it.
13/11(2) builds a broken 5 prime but is pretty static. This play would fit a game plan in which Blue would run from his anchor at the first opportunity, relying on the defensive value of the broken prime to survive any possible attack. However, such broken outside primes are not very strong and inflexible, and even if Blue manages to clear the rear anchor completely White will be very much in the game.
I like building the board with 6/4 (2). The idea is to build a strong board quickly, and rely on the strength of the board to pull Blue through in case of an exchange of hits. You could also say that this is a case of putting the checkers where they belong: you know you'd want to cover the 9, and you know that two of the three spares should go to the 4-point, and you achieve all this in one roll - so what is the problem?
Kit Woolsey: 13/9, 6/4(2).
If we were behind in the race it might be right to make the 11 point forbetter overall blocking purposes, but since we are ahead in the race itis not necessary to contain White's back checkers by blocking their sixes.20/18(2), 13/9 is a natural running play. However, those checkers on thesix point really do belong on the four point. We can run from the enemyfive point anyway, so 13/9, 6/4(2) looks like the play.
Chris Yep: 13/9, 6/4(2).
13/9 looks natural since it locks up the potentially important 9 point and makes a 4-prime in front of 3 checkers. Additionally, due to White's stripped 9 and 13 points, if he can't spring his 3rd back checker into the outfield soon his position may get a little awkward. Thus the 9 pt. has increased value. With the last two 2s, Blue can either play 20/18(2) (racing), 13/11(2) (blocking), or 6/4(2) (waiting and building). 13/11(2) is strong, however it strands the back men; also stripped outside primes are often less effective at blocking then other types of primes. 20/18(2) prepares to race which is good since Blue will be up 16 pips after the roll. However, due to White's awkward position, I believe 20/18(2) is less desirable. By staying back, Blue makes White's position more awkward. While I don't believe this gain in White's awkwardness outweighs the benefits of preparing to race (i.e. if Blue had the choice of playing 20/18(2) or forfeiting the rest of his roll, he would choose 20/18(2)), the combination of increasing White's awkwardness, activating the extra spares on the 6 point, and making the 4 point tip the scales to 6/4(2) in my opinion.
Summary: The mandate of the panel was for offense rather than escaping,with making the nine and four points the favored play. Outside primes justdon't seem to work that well against the defensive five point.
