2024- Position 30

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Match Play. 0-0 to 7. How should Red play 63?

Is it clear what type of game Red is playing? It could be a back game, a holding game or a priming game. It could even turn into a blitz.

Because the game plan is not clear Red should not yet commit himself if he can avoid it. The rear checkers should not be moved because they won’t have any difficulty moving later and for now they support the back game option.

The six should be played 8/2*. The choice for the three is 8/5 or 7/4.  It turns out that 7/4 loses 6% more gammons so that play is just too big, although I would certainly give it serious thought. 24/18, 7/4, fighting a war on two fronts is also too high risk.

If you found 8/5, 8/2* here you did very well indeed.