Position 410

 How should White play 43 here:

You are ahead in the race and have fully escaped both your back checkers. Black has the stronger board so you would rather not be hit. This leads you to look at the non-hitting play of 11/7 6/3:

This move still leaves 12 shots for Black, allows Black to anchor with other numbers, and does nothing to stop Black’s development. Note that this is the DMP play as it wins the most games.

You do not have the option of doubling Black out here, so you will have to play this game out to the end.

At some point you will have to clear your midpoint, so you consider the hit and clear now play of 13/10* 13/9: 

Black will hit you with any entering 6 as well as 55 – that is 11 rolls or 31% of the time.

Any entering 4 or 1 that does not hit, will allow Black to anchor, making your blitz harder to achieve.

You want to make it as hard as possible for Black to anchor, so you consider the double hitting play of 13/10* 8/4*:

You will be hit from the bar by Black with any entering 4 as well as 33, 22 and 11 – 14 rolls or 39 % of the time. Black will also enter and anchor with any 1. This move just gives Black too many good rolls.

When you are blitzing, you want to stop your opponent from anchoring, so you consider 8/4*/1*:

This is the correct move. Now Black cannot enter and anchor unless they roll 55, 44, 33, 22 or 11.

Black can only enter and hit both checkers with one roll – 11.

This is the move that puts White in control, and wins 6% more Gammons than any other move.




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