Anna Dreams Big

In a packed and dramatic couple of days we have our Undefeated finalist, the great Pia Jeppesen, one of the hardest working and thoughtful players on the tour this last generation.  A lovely, kind lady, with a great sense of humour, who is a credit to the game:

Elsewhere, the UK’s Anna Price had a marvellous run reaching the Quarter-finals of the Main, which included an epic take-down of Matt Reklaitis in the Last 16.  He observed afterwards that she’s bold, fearless and extremely uncomfortable to play.  Three matches from Sunday dreamland our girl was – what an achievement:

Raj’s Explosive Take

In the semi-finals of the main, Raj Jansari went toe to toe with his St. Albans chouette sparring partner, Iulian Chirita.  Raj [white] has this hell in a handbasket cube to ponder at 9-11 [15] – it’s gammon for match:

The take is clean, excellent and technically pure by Raj, but should he really be allowing Julian, who plays off 9.4 with a cube of over 18,  to roll a no skill position home so easily?  It’s 65% with 28% gammons – incredibly dangerous.  Maybe better to pick up your ball and head to the next tee?  No easy answers.  Raj never played again.

Ali’s bewildering cube

This is a wonderful cube from Ali Al Daftari [white] to David Brown at 0-3 (9), which has perplexed the finest in the game.

I am snatching this with a hearty “thank you”, but far wiser heads than me don’t like it.  It’s a great position and a massive take at just 70% with recube vig off the scale.  David passed saying, “I don’t like two roll positions.”  Well, it’s 3+ rolls, and you may not like it David but sometimes you have to eat gruel.

Carlo’s curve-ball

I had a late night thriller in the last 16 of the Speed with Carlo Melzi.  Are you taking this ticklish little 4 cube?

Many are passing, but actually it’s not even a cube, and moments later I was shipping to 8 after he cracked first, to take the win.

The moment the earth falls away from under your feet

This chart presents Melissa Shin’s winning chances vs Catherine Thome in the deciding match of the World teams.  Melissa all but hit rock bottom!  But not quite…

Jacob’s Ladder

I had a good partner in Will Blackwell in the doubles who on Day 1 disposed of the last two world Champions in Kostadinov and Vaatainen.  But we crashed into Jacob Vogl [left] who dispatched us mercilessly:

During the big moments, somewhere in the background Daddy bear would take out his pipe to incoherently mumble something like, “looks alright to me.”  They then went on and on, before finally succumbing in the last 16.  Well played young man.

Too big?

This is a position of mine vs Ms Nakamura the four time winner of the Japan Open.  I was a bit wary of her, so kept it super tight:

To some it’s a perfectly timed backgame – to others work of a lunatic.  Maybe it’s somewhere in the middle, and I cashed the game a little later.

Unflappable Johan

The final of the Second chance is between Johan Moazed and the great Dane Fred Mikkelsen .  Johan enjoyed ‘Backgammon and Wax’ on Wednesday night, and got pretty wasted.  He wondered to Selbs how on earth he was going to make it through the rest of the event.  But the 2024 World Champion tends to find a way, with that dreamy, laconic, unruffled air of his.