2023 - Position 171

XGID=-aBABBCBA----------ccbccB-:1:1:1:61:0:0:0:7:10

Match Play. 0-0 to 7. How should Red play 61?

Sixes don’t grow on trees (where have I heard that before??) and so Red must play 24/18 with the six. The question is what to do with the ace?

It would be great to play 6/5, hoping to make a full prime next turn but that is just too risky because White will hit on his ace-point with anything he can and pick up the other loose blots later. The prudent 3/2 is the play. That wins many more games and loses fewer gammons than 6/5.

Both 24/18, 6/5 and 24/18, 8/7 are double blunders. For once the quiet play is correct.