                       |
| ||||
| XGID=-b-B--F-C---eB-----b-bbbB-:0:0:1:44:0:0:0:1:10 | |||||
| Blue to play 44 | |||||
I want 24/20(2) to be part of any move I make here. Anything else risks leaving the back checkers stranded.
After that, running out to the 16pt does not look too bad. Blue leads in the race, and it is DMP, so running seems pretty good.
Running, however, takes some of the pressure off White. On the next turn, White must either break his anchor, or else play down from his midpoint. By running all the way to the 16pt, Blue makes it easier for White to play off the mid. That means it may be worthwhile to examine alternatives.
Making the 2pt has the virtue of unstacking the 6pt. It also makes it riskier for White to play off his anchor. The downside is that making the 2pt leaves Blue a bit stretched. Having made the 2pt and 3pt early, Blue may find it difficult to fill in the 4pt, 5pt, and bar point.
Making the 4pt gives Blue a better inside point, but the cost of breaking his 8pt at a time when his structure is already unbalanced by the stack on his 6pt is probably too high.
What about bringing two down from the midpoint? The stack on White’s midpoint means that Blue does not need to keep his own midpoint in order to keep White nailed down to his. Unfortunately, abandoning the midpoint divides Blue’s forces, and gives White a chance to escape when he rolls 66, 64, and 63. It is probably too early to give up the mid.
Making the 2pt is the play I would try. Unstacking the 6pt goes a long way towards balancing Blue’s awkward distribution.
Mike