the dorbel daily

Saturday 24 December 2011

The Big Christmas Quiz, Part Two





Welcome to Part two of the quiz, five more positions hacked from The Chicago Point of May 1990, with grateful thanks to Bill Davis, who co-authored the the original quiz and kindly gave me permission to reproduce it.

Position Six. Black to play 3-3 from the bar. Money game.



Position Seven. Black to play 5-1. Money Game.



Position 8. Black to play 6-6. Make the play that leaves White the fewest shots.



Position Nine. Money Game, Black to play 1-1.



Position 10. Black to play 5-3, money game.



Answers in the comments section please. Go back to Part One if you haven't already done so. Mr Chow please change your answer for Number Four as I have corrected the score so that White leads, not Black.
There is a small but rare prize for the winner and I will post the answers on or about the 28th of this month.
Enjoy the game and for those who celebrate it in one way or another, Happy Christmas!

10 comments:

David Kettler said...

6. the only question here is whether or not you swap points or hit the second checker loose from the 9. In the old days I would have tried to play this pure and hit loose, but I've been bot trained now to swap. So, b-22,5-2(2), and 13-10
7. I'm absolutely positive that the first play is 7-2. now OTB I would probably play 7-6 with the other one, but this is a quiz so the obvious answer is almost always wrong. A little counting shows that playing 4-3 reduces the number of second round shots from 12 to 6 at a cost of 2 more immediate shots. A good trade.
8. What am I missing? 14-2, 8-2(2) leaves the fewest shots, not that anyone in their right mind would make such a play.
seems to be a simple counting exercise.
9. 2 off(2). helps win gammon and leaves two fewer shots
10. I don't get this one either. I would play 22-14 hit without batting an eye.

Merry Christmas

ah_clem said...

6) bar/22 21/18 seems clear. Then i could send a hird checker back with 5/2(2), but I think I like keeeping the four prime. With two on the bar I'm more interested in attacking than playing defense, so 13/7 to bring another builder to bear in the homeboard. bar/22 21/18* 13/7

7)7/2 is forced. Then 4/3 so that 6/5 doesn;t force me to leave a shot next time (assuming I'm not hit first.)

8) 15/3(2), but I suck at shot counting.

9)2/1(4) to prevent white from picking up a second cehecer if she hits. With white needing 10 crossovers black can afford to leave 6 instead of 4.

10)8/5 9/4. Might as well slot valuable points since I can't do anything else constructive.

gumpi said...

6.with 3 on the bar and 9 checkers
in the zone the blitzing play looks right. B/22, 21/18*, 5/2*(2)

7. 7/2, 4/3 leaves 2 more shots,
but a much better Followup un 66, 55, 44 65, 54, 53, 52.

8. 14/2, 8/2(2) dives only 6 indirect.

9 not sure, talking one more crossvover but i dislike the 3 blot szenario after 61. 51, 41 and 31 2/0ff (2)
2/1(3) 1/off is the safe "consolidate on ace" after 61, 51 41 and 31.

10: ugly- no idea yet
20/13, 9/8.

David Kettler said...

oops. position 10 harder if restricted to legal moves. try my move first. If opponent excepts play, wonderful. otherwise, I like 11-8, and 9-4.

Julia said...

6) bar/22 21/18*/15 13/10. Get men in the zone for both making 3 and the back of the prime. (With a centred cube I'd just button up to White's bar and cash)
7) 7/2 7/6 - fewest immediate hits and they dupe the 5 that covers White's 3point. Also 62 and 64 safe next time after our play, not after leaving the blot on the bar.
8) 14/2 8/2(2).
9) 2/1(4). White's a long way from saving the gammon; don't leave scenarios where White ends up sat on your ace-point trying for a second man back.
10) Yuck. 24/21 9/4? PLenty of hitting to come and this looks like you'll come out of it with at least one worthwhile point. Fewer hits on your side, too, and you'd struggle to make and hold the 9 point without giving up the mid.

gumpi said...

Interesting.
If you play 2/1(4)you create a new blot numper: 21.
So if safety is your main goal and you play 2/1(3) 1/off you avoid
that blotting 21 and use any of the accident numbers (61, 51 41 and 31) to lift up the blot on the 2 and secure on the 1. If you pass
you win a crossover.

Must be safer if safety is yur only
guideline.

ah_clem said...

Agreed. 2/1(4) is awful - I didn't see that it created 2 extra shot-leaving rolls.

said...

6. bar/22 21/18* 5/2*(2)
7. 7/2 4/3
8. 14/2 8/2(2)
9. 2/off 2/1(2)
10. 20/15 9/6

Steve said...

If I'm not too late:

6) Enter, hit the blot, run, then get another in the zone. Bar-22, 21-18*, 18-15, 13-10.

7) 7-2 is forced, then reduce shots with 7-6.

8) Fewest shots is when there's only a one available, so 13-7(2), 14-2.

9) WIth 11 off, Black will still be favourite to win, even if hit later, so 2-off (2).

10) Step up with 9-4, then pit more pressure on White's outfield with 24-21.

Timothy Chow said...

Looks like the quiz is still open? If so, I'll give the rest of the questions a shot.

6. Bar/22 21/18* looks clear for the first two 3's. For the remaining two 3's, we can either switch points or anchor up. It looks to me that blitzing is called for here. Bar/22 21/18* 5/2*(2).

7. 7/2 is forced and then there are two plausible choices for the ace, 7/6 and 4/3. 7/6 is the obvious play, giving White 2 fewer immediate shots and duplicating 5's somewhat, but since this is a quiz, one suspects that 4/3 is better. If we're hit, does White have a cash? Seems like she usually does unless we hit back. What about reblotting danger if we're not hit? I count 12 reblotting rolls after 7/6 and 7 reblotting rolls after 4/3. We have about a 2/3 chance of being missed so it looks like 4/3 leaves slightly fewer shots over the next two rolls. I'll go for 7/2 4/3.

8. Like number 2, this is one I've seen before, so it feels almost like cheating, even though all I remembered was the trick, and I had to reconstruct the actual move just now. 14/2 10/4(2).

9. 2/1(2) is forced and then we have to decide whether to play 1/off(2) or 2/1(2) for the remaining two 1's. 1/off(2) gives White better chances of picking up a second checker if we roll a 1 next. On the other hand, if we don't roll a 1 next, then 1/off(2) is better for the gammon race. Tough call but I'll try 2/1(4).

10. This is the toughest one for me. If XG has overturned any answers then I think this one (as well as number 6, perhaps) is a likely candidate. Anyway, I'm not at all sure what's going on here but I'll try 24/21 9/4. This duplicates White's aces somewhat and gives us a good chance of making a good point next turn. It could be too bold but nothing is really safe.