Position 429

 How should White play 64 here:

Anchors are great, they protect you from being primed or blitzed. But at some point, you must leave an anchor – are we there yet?

Consider running with both checkers from your 20 point anchor with 20/14 20/16:

This would be good if you are missed, but you will be hit with any 1, 2 or 4. But if you are hit, unless you are hit with doubles, Black will not be making a new inner board point.

Unfortunately, as you will be hit by 27 rolls, this move is just too big.

Consider 20/10:

Now at least one of your checkers will be hit in the outfield with 64, 63 or 54. You will be pointed on with 53, 51, 31, 44, 33 and 11. Any number that does not point on you or hit you in the outfield, that contains a 5, 3 or 1 will be used to hit loose on Blacks 5 point. That is a lot of numbers, and like 20/10, you lose the security of having the 20 point anchor.

So maybe now is not the time to give up your anchor. Consider 13/3:

Slotting into a double shot is rare, but here it makes sense. You keep your 20 point anchor, Black has only a one point board, you leave the minimum number of shots when leaving a double shot and if Black hits you, unless they roll doubles, they will not be improving their board at the same time.

Paul Magriel once said, “the biggest mistake at all levels of play, is not choosing the wrong move, but failing to even consider the right move as a candidate play”. This is a hard move to find, and then make, but it is the correct move.




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Position 420

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 How should White play 54 here: It is always disappointing to miss when you have a double shot at a blot. But there is nothing you can do about that; you missed so you need to focus on finding the best play. The safe play is 6/1 6/2: But this is just too safe. You need to hit a blot as you are so far behind in the race, and when you hit that blot you need a board that has no blots in it. This move changes your board from a 4 point board to a 3 point board with a blot. You could minimise the chances that your opponent will hit you by playing 18/13 18/14: But to win, you need to hit and to hit you really want to maximise contact. This move does the opposite and minimises contact. You need to be aware that Black’s board has 2 open points. That means if you are hit, with one checker you will enter on 20 numbers or 56% of the time. Consider 13/8 13/9: This move retains your 18 point, which is back far enough that it will take many rolls for Black to get their 2 checkers on their...
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