2022 - Position 1

XGID=-b-bBgCCCBB---------a-ba--:0:0:1:44:5:4:0:7:10

Match Play. Red leads 5-4 to 7. How should Red play 44?

The point Red wants White to give up is his 3-pt, thus leaving White with a very poor 1-5 back game.

The best way to achieve this is 8/4(3), 6/2 so that all White’s fives except 53 must be played from the 3-pt. The alternative play of the odd-looking 8/4, 6/2(3) is the second-best play but that is still a big error.

The key in such situations is to work out how to damage your opponent’s back game. Here, 8/4(3), 6/2 does the most damage and so it easily gets the nod.