Chuck Bower: 24/22, 8/5*.The first question of the day is: "should Blue hit?" The gainis significant and clear -- the diamond point, if miss+cover.The risk is a third checker sent behind White's broken prime.That is significant, too, but only happens about 1/3 of the time. A secondary consideration is the possible loss of the valuable 8-point.
It's hard to win without the 5-point. Further, making it preventsopp from doing so, and he's already halfway there. White's timingmeans he won't be able to keep two anchors, but if he can make both he gets his choice of which one to break. Putting all the argmuents together, it looks to me like hitting is worth the risk. Lifting takes away the chance of making the 5-point and dillies the builderbesides.
Five blots is too many when outboarded. Note that Blue owns thecube. Both of these facts lead me to prefer grabbing the safetyof the anchor, even if it's efficiently blocked. Blue doesn'tneed to win the game all in one roll.
Doug Doub: 13/11, 13/10.
Going after the 5pt and putting a second man on thebar would be more attractive if White did not already have an anchor.
Since Blue has a racing lead, the timing is likely to go against him if heanchors on White's 3pt. White is not in good shape to attempt to carry outa blitz, so keeping the back men split is more attractive, since it givesmore ways of escaping.
The 11pt is a good blocking point and leaves no blots on our side of theboard. The quiet move of securing a good point and trying to keep a numberof options open for the next turn appears to be the best approach here.
George Klitsas: 13/11, 13/10.
I think it's extremely dangerous to hit on my 5 point. Lifting the blot (8/5*/3) is pointless, so if I decide to hit, I must leave the blot there. My structure will have already been ruined, since my 8 point will be difficult to remake. In case of being hit from the bar by White, I will usually struggle to save the gammon, with little hope of winning the game. Since I am convinced that hitting on the 5 point is wrong, I am left with 24/22 11/8 and 13/11 13/10. The first leads to a cramped position, in which I will have problems with rolls that include sixes. I will vote for 13/11 13/10, which makes the crucial 11 point and retain a lot of flexibility (fours and sixes) for my back checkers. If I roll a two later, I will have the opportunity to link them, if I decide so.
Mary Lee Pinkney: 13/11, 13/10.
I think it's best to move 13/11 in order to block White's man on the 5 point and 13/10 to create a safe builder to work with next move.
I don't want to anchor on the 22 point since White doesn't have a lot of extra builders to attack my back men, and it will be more difficult for me to escape White's broken 5-point prime if I anchor. I am ahead in the race so being able to escape with my two back men is a priority.
Snowie: 13/11, 13/10.
Attacking on the five point won't work. White has the stronger board andthe anchor. My strength is in the outfield, so it is right to buildon that strength and make the 11 point. Anchoring on the 22 point doesn'thelp much -- it only cuts down on my escape rolls.
Marty Storer: 24/22, 11/8.
Blue doesn't seem to have enough immediateescaping power to justify 13/10 13/11, which would be playedwith the idea of keeping the back checkers spread out so that6's and 4's could be used to escape. With a weaker board,against White's advanced anchor, it looks prudent to makethe fairly resilient 22 anchor. Hitting plays are very looseand very bad.
Bob Stringer: 24/22, 11/8.
Of the hitting plays, anchoring looks best. White not only has thestronger board, he has an anchor, which prevents somethingcompletely decisive happening. If White didn't have an anchor I'dbe more aggressive, but since he does it I want to get an anchormyself so as to prevent a disaster. As between the two anchoringplays, I like the safe play marginally better. After 11/8 myposition is solid and flexible. Nothing bad can happen immediatelyand if White doesn't roll something decent his position may startto break down. I don't like 13/11, 13/10 as much because I'mvulnerable without an anchor, and staying back on the midpointdoes a better job of hemming in White's back checkers.
Casper van der Tak: 13/11, 13/10.
This seems a close call between 13/10 13/11 and 24/22 11/8. Making the blocked anchor is not indicated when ahead in the race, but provide some tactical protections against blitzes and semi-blitzes. Leaving the back checkers split increases the chances to escape and convert to an advantageous race, and making the 11 point has the advantage of setting up some future root numbers for White. Also, the block may have some value if White attacks. It seems likely that 13/10 13/11 wins more, but that it loses more gammons. I take 13/10 13/11 over 24/22 11/8 for the following reasons:
- With four checkers back, White is not likely to complete an attack, so that the danger of leaving the back checkers split is reduced;
- Increasing Blue's number of wins contributes to the value of cube-ownership.
Kit Woolsey: 24/22, 8/5*.
Even with the shortage of ammunition and the breaking of the eightpoint, I can't resist this golden opportunity to take my five pointrather than give White a chance to make it. Having hit loose, it seemsprudent to buckle up on the other side of the board in case disasterstrikes.
Chris Yep: 13/11, 13/10.
Although White has a broken 5-prime, he has 4 back men so is not likely to attack Blue. It's not clear that Blue gains much by making the anchor (24/22). By staying back Blue gives himself 6s to escape. Instead of making the anchor I believe that it is more constructive to work on the offense. Blue's 8 point is valuable and he is outboarded, so 8/5* (similarly 10/5*) is too loose. I like 13/11 13/10. This puts pressure on the 5 point and makes White's 6s potentially awkward.
Summary: The panel went for the quiet building play. This makes sensesince the strong feature of Blue's position is his outfield control. Still,the opportunity to put a second checker on the bar and go after the five pointis difficult to pass up.
