2024 - Position 77

XGID=a-BB-BC-BAa---A---bcbbB-d-:3:-1:1:42:0:0:0:9:10

Match Play. Red leads 0-0 to 9. White owns the cube on 8.

How should Red play 42?

Two on the bar or make the 4-pt?

This is close but 14/10*, 9/7 wins 1% more games and 1% more gammons than 8/4, 6/4.

The problem with making the point is that White will enter immediately 30% of the time and then it is anybody’s game with White’s four-point prime a strong asset. It is better to pay off to immediate double fours and double ones.

Making the point is a mistake but not technically an error.