The first four questions score 9 points each; the rest score 8 apiece.

1. 8/3, 6/3 Clearing the 11-point is a distant second, and making the ace, as was done over the board, is a blunder.
2. 8/2 You’d like to remake the 8-point, when lo and behold the dice give you a 5. But making the deuce gives you a five-point board, so that’s the point to make.
3. 11/5, 6/4 The trap is thinking that your game plan is to escape the prime he is threatening to make. Two points to consider: he hasn’t made a prime yet; sometimes, the best way to escape is to trap him with a counter prime. Small numbers work well for him no matter what you play, but if he throws a large number he may have problems. Look at how a 63 plays for him if you run, and if you build instead. While minimizing shots with 11/5, 11/9 is reasonable, and seems to duplicate his building numbers, it is only second best. The fastest way to build your board is to slot the next point you want. Also, while a 2 is useful to him in building new points, a 4 combines with more numbers; only a 41 doesn’t make an inner board point for him. Finally, except 44 none of his hitting numbers are jokers, but if you leave the deuce shot 25 and 26 are converted into reasonable casts instead of horror numbers.
4. 16/11, 6/2 Snowie hates building the acepoint. Why? Well perhaps it’s because, since the opponent succeeded in extending his prime, the counterprime is more important than ever, so keeping your 5-point slotted, and NOT making the ace, is the way to go. And you are picking up a vulnerable blot, after all.
5. 8/5/ 8/4 You’ll probably be clearing the 8-point next roll, so you might as well do it now, while you can play it constructively.
6. 23/20, 13/8 It is hard to see much difference between this play and the actual play of 24/21, 13/8, but Snowie says the other play is not just wrong, but a blunder! I guess when there are four men behind a prime, making sure they escape is important. Snowie also likes 23/20, 21/16.
7. 21/16, 20/16 Remember what I said last problem about four men behind a prime? That advice still holds.
8. Bar/22, 12/10 Among the twelve problems this was one of the closer choices; the difference between the best play and bar/22, 3/1 was only 4%. That stepping up into a direct shot is correct emphasizes the power of keeping a five-point board.
9. 23/18, 13/11 Another close one, with 13/6 only 2.2% behind. Once you’ve brought down a builder for the bar or 5-point, activating a back checker is a good idea.
10. Bar/20 Making a bid to escape, or at least advance the anchor.
11. 9/4, 8/5 If you hit and cover you will be trying to counterprime when you have three times as many men trapped, a much worse prime, and probably worse timing (instead of moving his prime forward he will be playing his numbers with that same checker every roll). You actually win fewer games if you hit, and you cost yourself many more gammons.
12. 6/5, 6/4, 3/2 Or play 6/4(2), it is almost a tossup between those two. Gerhard played 5/3, 3/2 (as I would have) and won a gammon for the match because of it. That play, however, not only wins fewer games, but fewer gammons as well. You don’t lose many games either way, but when the opponent hits he saves more gammons. On the other hand, if the roll were 32 it is correct to play 5/off. The extra man off means you win almost as many games as the safer 6/3, 6/4, and it ensures you win more gammons.

Scoring

81-100 You’re good enough to play in Thailand. Heck, you’re good enough to play in the World Cup!

61-80 You’re also good enough to play in Thailand. Heck, you’re good enough to play in the World Championships!

41-60 You too are good enough to play in Thailand. Heck, a two-time world champion missed some of these.

21-40 You too are good enough to play in Thailand. You think they test you at the border?

0-20 You’re not good enough to play anywhere, but you may as well come to Thailand; we have an equal opportunity chouette!