Position 386

 How should White play 61 here:

I want to remind readers that all these positions are money play without Jacoby.

You can leave no blots and create a 4 point board by playing 9/2:

While this looks nice, Black can enter from the bar with 20 rolls or 56% of the time.

You have also done nothing about escaping your rear checkers or attacking Blacks blot on their 10 point.

You can cover and split your back checkers by playing 22/21 8/2:

You will be ahead in the race by 8 pips after this roll.

Black still enters with the same 20 rolls and your advantage will not be decisive.

Consider it in 22/15*:

Now you will be ahead in the race by 23 pips after the roll.

Even if Black hits you on your 2 point, the 6’s are blocked from your 2 point.

You are fully escaped into Blacks outfield and if Black hits you from the midpoint, they will have to give up their midpoint and you will have no trouble entering as Black only has a one point board.

This is not correct because you win more Gammons, this move wins 3.5% less Gammons than the previous 22/21 8/2*. This move is correct because it wins 1.5% more games.

If the position is altered, so that you end up with the 5 point board, does that alter the solution?

Now after 22/21 8/2, Black has only 11 entering rolls from the bar.

This move wins 4% more games and 4% more Gammons.

You may want to keep your 22 point anchor, but splitting 22/21 give you more rolls to escape into the outfield and the 22 point anchor is nowhere near as strong as the 21 or 20 point anchor.