Chuck Bower: 24/23, 24/20.Blue's greatest need is an advanced anchor. 24/23, 8/4* seems thematic, but itgives White 15 immediate returns and fails to start a farside point that isn'tblocked. 24/20, 24/23 "comes under the gun", but White's pointing numbersbreak into two categories: those which were near killers, anyway (doubles 1,2,3,4,6), and those which leave many return shots on either White's 8- or 7-point. Blue's back checkers are in danger of being strangled, and going directly for the 20-point is his best chance to maintain an open airway.
Malcolm Davis: 24/23, 8/4*.
Breaking the 8-point to hit is not so bad, as I alreadyhave the 2-point, I like hitting because I have a better board, and the ace split is very helpful.
Hal Heinrich: 24/23, 24/20.
Blue is even in the race, has a stronger board, and owns the cube. Bluemust advance the back men before White's prime improves. After 24/20,24/23 is really the only ace play available.
George Klitsas: 13/8.
Attacking is tempting (8/4* 24/23), although the loss of the eight point will be a major liability anytime things go wrong. I don't know if 13/8 is a better play in the abstract, but the position of the cube favors a conservative approach, I guess, and I will vote for 13/8.
Laila Leonhardt: 24/23, 24/20.
White's builder points are stripped and this is a great opportunity for Blue to try to move forward and force White into a hitting contest where White will have to break 18 or 17 point to hit or built points. Blue owns the cube and more points in his home board and should not be afraid of stepping up.Attacking White in Blue's own home would just strip Blue of his few threatening builders and most likely get Blue in more trouble than he can get himself out of. Better to keep that option for when White is getting a larger advantage and Blue desperately needs White on the bar to avoid getting primed or blitzed.
Rob Maier: 24/23, 8/4*.
Attack, attack, attack. Picking up the blot is lame, and advancing to the bar leaves six extra numbers, so split the back checkers it is.
Kevin McGrath: 24/23, 8/4*.
With only a small lead and some serious positional problems, Blue can't afford to sit back and let White improve his position on both sides of the board. Safeting the blot on the 4 point is too craven and just puts another checker out of play.
Martin Short: 24/23, 8/4*.
Splitting is a must here, I have to get those backcheckers moving so that's what I will use my 1 for. Asfor the 4... I dont like inviting my opponent to hitme on their 5pt, as it is far more fun to be theattackER and not the attackEE, I have the better boardso I would hit loose on my 4pt.
Snowie: 24/23, 8/4*.
This seems pretty easy. Hitting loose on the four point is necessary, andsplitting the back checkers is a clear improvement. We have the strongerinner board, so let's take advantage of it.
Marty Storer: 24/23, 8/4*.
After this play, optimists think the4 point is half full, and pessimists think it's halfempty. The alternative is 24/20 24/23, which is OK,reminiscent of a GOL match position many moons ago,but somewhat different. The trouble with the majorsplit is that it cedes White the initiative anddoesn't give enough chance to gain when it works.I think Blue should take advantage of his strongerboard and attack. If White hits, Blue still has achance to stay alive by making an advanced anchoror hitting back.
Bob Stringer: 24/23, 8/4*.
I think that splitting is important here, for even though White is notin danger of making his 5 point really soon, my rolls could startbecoming awkward if I don't get the back men going. Splitting themhelps do that. White may attack, but at least my board is stronger,which makes it risky for him to hit loose. None of the hitting playshave any appeal to me. 8/7, 8/4* is just asking for it, and 8/4*, 4/3puts a man pretty much out of play. I don't like 24/23, 24/20 becauseit puts a man on a point that White would like to make. He definitelywill hit loose there. I know that in problem number 5 I was willing totake that risk, but there you are. My main advantage is the strongerboard, and the best way I see to make use of it is to attack.
Casper van der Tak: 24/23, 24/20.
Get them moving before they get primed! Since there is nothing much else to do, this seems the best option. White is stripped, and Blue has the stronger board, which means that it will be difficult for white to attack efficiently.
The main alternative is 24/23 8/4* (hit and split backed up with a better board), but that involves breaking the 8 point, and any return hit would be quite bad, whereas the upside is small.
Kit Woolsey: 24/23, 8/4*.
Even though we are short on attack material and hitting loose costs us oureight point, it seems vital to hit with the four and fight for our fourpoint. The natural ace is to split the back checkers and try for anadvanced anchor.
Chris Yep: 24/23, 24/20.
A tricky problem since there are two or more strong moves with widely different themes. In a close race, White is threatening to make an advanced anchor. Therefore it looks right for Blue to either hit White off the 4 point or aim for his own advanced anchor. If Blue hits, it looks better to stay on the 4 point (i.e. 24/23 8/4*) since Blue has a limited number of checkers on his side of the board. However, I have a slight preference for 24/20 24/23. It aims for a better point, keeps the 8 point, reduces the number of blots, and doesn't have the downside of losing 20 or so pips if White hits. I think this is enough to offset the disadvantages of coming under the gun and not being able to hit White off the 4 point. Since White's position is completely stripped, there is less danger of coming under the gun; if White hits or points on Blue, Blue will often have a fair number of indirect shots from the bar.
Summary: The majority of the panel went for the hit and split play,but there was a strong contingent which advocated just moving the backcheckers. The hit sure seems thematic to me, with the stronger inner boardand weaker blockade. Isn't stepping up to the enemy five point just askingfor trouble?
