2024 - Position 106

XGID=-a-a-aECCB--b-----bbb-bbB-:0:0:1:53:5:1:0:13:3

Match Play. 0-0 to 5. How should Red play 32?

Red should not play perfectly safe and needs to do something, but splitting the rear checkers is too bold. Equally well 8/5, 7/5 is too risky

Equally well we have been taught not to give the mid-point while we still have rear checkers, and that principle applies here. 13/11, 13/10 is too bold.

13/8 is too safe so we are left with 13/11, 6/3 and 13/10, 6/4. The former has some risk but at least tries to develop Red’s position and it does duplicate White’s twos. This gives it the edge over 13/10, 6/4 which XG rates as too passive.