From: jrk2v@galen.med.Virginia.EDU (John Robert Klein)
Newsgroups: rec.games.backgammon
Subject: Re: Fwd: O to play 6-2
Date: 4 Apr 92 12:30:19 GMT
Organization: University of Virginia

In article <MARTYS.92Apr3104331@escalus.juliet.ll.mit.edu> martys@juliet.ll.mit.edu ( Marty Storer ) writes:
>In article <1992Apr2.204613.16586@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> jrk2v@galen.med.Virginia.EDU (John Robert Klein) writes:
>
>>   Come on, Marty.  making the 3 MAY be correct but if so its not by a lot.
>>   We've already been over this one once (without resolution).  I do think
>>   its close and wouldn't argue too strongly against making the 3 in that 
>>   problem -- unlike the current 6-2 problem where I WOULD object storngly
>>   to making the 2 point.
>
>  Well, if David's, mine, and Elliott's comments on that problem aren't
>  enough to convince you, there's not a lot more to say about it.  What's
>  "resolution" on the net, anyway?  I'd prefer playing a proposition >8->.
>

Well, there's  resolution and  there's RESOLUTION!  I thhought, maybe mistakenly
that even you guys who preferred making the 3 thought it was pretty close.
It might be useful to rate not only our favorite play but also how close we think
it is -- for example if the captain wants to make another play would you:

	a) shrug your shoulders.
	b) mildly try to convince him/her of your view
        c) scream your head off
        d) commit justifiable homicide.

Feel free to add to or otherwise modify this list.

>>
>>   It would be nice if there were a forum where problems could be submitted
>>   to a panel of experts to get their opinions -- like Master Solver's CLub
>>   in the Bridge World.  Does anyone know of anything like this?
>
>  Subscribe to "Inside Backgammon" and you'll see something similar.  The
>  experts are Kent Goulding and Bill Robertie; they decide which problems
>  to publish, but they may take requests if they're interesting enough.
>
>  The Gammon Press, PO Box 294, Arlington, MA 02174.  $40 per year.
>

Thanks for the info, Marty.  I used to play in a club  in DC, unfortunately
no longer around, with Kent.  I still see him around at bridge tournaments
(As, even he would admit, he's a much better BG player than bridge player
thoughh he  is a pretty good bridge player too).  I may even see him this
weekend at a bridge tourney in DC.  If  so, I'll see if he  wants to use
some our Net problems -- or at least try to get his opinions on them.

What I was thinking would be nice, Along the lines of the Bridge World's
Master Solvers Club, is to get  the opinions of a panel  of experts
(say, ten or more) on a problem since often even experts disagree  on the
correct move/bid.  Its probably unrealistic though since BG is much less
organized than bridge.

>>
>>   Also, is there a ranking of top experts these days?  If so, could someone
>>   please post it to the net.  Thanks in advance.
>
>  I don't have Kent Goulding's latest rating list, but someone else reading
>  this may...?
>
>  The list only covers tournament play.
>
>  The only player high on the list I see regularly is Walter Trice.  I can
>  get his opinion on any position you want.  Walter ranks very high on the
>  list; rated about 1760.
>
well, if you haven't done  so  already, could you ask him  about the 5-1
and 5-3 (Elliott's making the 2 point) problems. 

                                JK