2021 - Position 88

XGID=-----bE-C-AAcC--bc-e----B-:0:0:1:54:0:0:3:0:10

Unlimited Games. How should Red play 54?

A position that twenty years ago nearly everybody would have got wrong. Many would have chosen 11/6, 10/6 which is a blunder as it does nothing to improve Red’s position.

White has an advanced anchor and so Red must start to activate his back checkers. The choice is between 24/20, 11/6 and the very bold 24/15. The latter play looks risky but unless White hist twice Red will get a lot of return shots after a White hit.

Rollouts show that 24/15 is the best move, although the more prosaic 24/20, 11/6 is a close second.