2023 - Position 113

XGID=-aBBBBB----Ac--AbcCe-a----:1:1:1:51:10:0:0:13:3

Match Play. Blue leads 10-0 to 13. How should Blue play 51?

A safe play is the wrong idea here. Blue wants to make his bar-point and/or attack the White blot on his ace-point. He needs to get his checkers in play and given White’s poor home board he can play with little fear.

The best move is 18/13, 15/14. 15/9 is OK but it is still a mistake because it leaves three checkers on White’s bar-point and that is inefficient. The checkers must work for a living.