2024 - Position 138

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Match Play. Red leads 7-6 to 9. How should Red play 64?

You’ve heard it before, but sixes don’t grow on trees. The six must be played 22/16. After that the four is best played 5/1*. The two White checkers on the bar should give Red time to escape. If course, it could all go wrong and Red might lose a gammon if both his blots are hit.

However, backgammon is a game of risk and reward and here Red must take risk to reap his reward.

8/4, 8/2 is. a blunder. 8/2, 5/1* is merely a bad error!