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(a) Match Play. Double Match Point. How should Red play 61?
(b) Unlimited Games. How should Red play 61?
For money 8/2*, 3/2 is very clear because of the gammon wins.
The DMP play is not so clear because now gammons are irrelevant. Although 8/2*, 3/2 is reasonable Red should play this position as a prime-versus-prime.
The best play is 22/15, escaping the last rear checker. The second-best play is 22/16, 3/2*. Escaping that last rear checker is the key to the position despite the risks. This is not obvious at first sight so a lot of players go for 8/2*, 3/2 but the more you play the game you more you realise the power of primes. You may have heard this before but note that sixes don’t grow on trees! Red must go and go now.