2022 - Position 69

XGID=---bB-D-B--AcD-b-a-cbb--AA:0:0:1:41:4:4:0:7:10

Match Play. Red 4-4 to 7. How should Red play 41?

Red is in trouble here and whatever he plays White will double. Can he find a move that lets him take the double?

The answer is yes but it is close. After bar/24, 6/2 Red has a checker out of play, and it is difficult for him to improve his position. He can take or drop the impending double and have the same equity. Bar/24, 11/7 is the same, Red can take or drop, but much better is bar/24, 13/9 which develops his mid-point stack and threatens to make the valuable 9-pt. That move gives Red a comfortable take.