2024 - Position of the Week 8 Solution

Clearly the ace is 9/8*. The question is what to do with the four?

With a huge racing deficit 24/20 cannot be correct. Neither 8/4 nor 9/5 (which may duplicate Red’s sixes next turn) add much to Red’s position other than a small measure of safety.

Now look at 20/16. This duplicates White’s aces but more importantly it gives Red some good outfield control. He can’t keep both anchors indefinitely and as he wants to keep the 24-pt logic says that 20/16 is the right move and so the rollout proves.

Leaving an anchor when you opponent is on the bar is often the right idea. 9/8*/4 is a bad error, and all other moves are outright blunders.