2021 - Position 127

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Match Play. Red trails 2-4 to 5 (post-Crawford). How should Red play 61?

The key here is not to give up the anchor, thus giving White counterplay that he doesn’t deserve.

Red should complete his prime before leaving the anchor and so the correct play is the simple 9/2.

9/8, 7/1* doesn’t win enough extra gammons to warrant the risk, although it is close.