Position 406

 How should White play 22 here:

I have had players tell me that sometimes the move is just obvious. Those players would play bar/23(2) 7/5*(2):

This move creates a 5 point board, and gives you 6s and 5s to hit and escape your rear most checkers. This play also gives Black no return hits from the bar.

The problem with this play is any 3 let’s Black anchor and make a 5 prime with 35, 34 and 31.

The great American player Mary Hickey tells her students to “beware Captain Obvious”. In other words, do not just make the obvious play, even if it is correct you need to consider if there are any better alternatives.

Consider not making the 5 point (which would be heresy in some circles) and hitting both checkers with bar/23(2) 7/5*/3*:

Although this does not create a 5 point board, and gives Black a direct shot from the bar, it wins 2% more games and 6.5% more Gammons.

You can get away with this move because Black has a blot on their 1 point, and if you are hit by Black you will have a return shot at that blot.

Black only enters both checkers with 4 rolls – 55, 33 and 53. Even if Black enters without hitting, you will have 6s and 5s to hit more checkers and escape. Those blots on Black’s 7 and 8 points make it worth hitting twice. If you succeed in hitting one or both of them, the number of Gammons that you win will dramatically increase.

If the blot on Black’s 1 point was instead a point, should you play more cautiously?

Now you have to respect Black’s 5 point board and make the safe play.

If the blot on Blacks 1 point is no longer there, is it still correct to hit twice?

Even without the return shot at the blot on Black’s 1 point, you should still hit twice.