2024 - Position 33

XGID=--BBCBBAA---a------cfBbab-:1:1:1:35:0:0:2:0:10

Unlimited Games. How should Red play 53?

Red needs to challenge in the outer board so that White checker on Red’s 12-pt doesn’t have a free passage home. A move like 8/5, 7/2 doesn’t meet the demands of the position although it is close, and that move is not an error.

21/16, 8/5 would be many people’s choice but that is a marginally weaker move than 8/5, 7/2. The best move is 21/18, 21/16 which probably only XG will find!

White may be forced to hit and give Red a shot at the blot on the 2-pt. It pays off particularly well on White‘s 21, 22, 42 and 66.

Did you consider 21/18, 21/16?