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All the action is on White’s side of the board. If Blue enters on the 2pt, White will have total freedom to go about his business. The dice will dictate whether he primes or attacks. Blue may be a bit safer back on the 2pt for the moment, but without opposition, White will quickly consolidate his position. By coming in on the 21pt, Blue forces the issue. White will be forced to attack, often hitting loose, when he would have preferred to extend his prime. My first inclination is to play two checkers up, U = bar/21 24/22. If one checker is hit, Blue can hope to anchor with the other. White’s blot on the 16pt is in direct range of both the 22pt and 21pt, so even when Blue is hit on one of those points, the other will threaten the 16pt. In addition, if White launches a blitz, a stray Blue checker in the outer board may be more of a liability than an asset. I don’t have a strong opinion. Unstacking the midpoint, S = bar/21 13/11, may be just as good or better. But S and U are my favorites here. Mike | ||||||||||||
