2023 - Position 147

XGID=---aBBBBBAA---------dcbeC-:1:-1:1:21:9:9:0:11:10

Match Play. Double Match Point. How should Blue play 21?

At DMP you must use your checkers efficiently. That means that 9/6 is not really a candidate play.

Blue does better to leave the blot on the 9-pt so he can hit with a six next time.

The alternative is 10/9, 4/2 which is what I chose over the board, but which turned out to be wrong.

Because Blue’s other three checkers are so far away it takes too long for them to get to the battlefield.to rebuild the prime.

It is better to play 10/7 to give Blue a good four next turn. Over the board I was concerned with not letting White’s rear checker escape but didn’t realise how difficult it would be to then build a full prime. 10/9, 4/2 is an error but not a bad one.