                       |
| ||||
| XGID=-a--BaC-C---eE---b-cc-B---:0:0:1:54:0:0:3:0:6 | |||||
| Blue to play 54 | |||||
This looks like a good position to test Stick’s assessment of the 22pt anchor. He describes it as “a piece of @#$!.” (I have always appreciated this characterization. It is one that students will not forget!)
Even after rolling 22, Blue is losing the priming game. If he plays 13/4, he may very well fall behind in either the holding game category or the racing category as well. That’s because White is likely to make the 20pt anchor or else run from the 20pt, perhaps ending up with only one checker back.
The other two candidates I see are running to the midpoint and trying to advance the anchor by playing the 4 out to the bar point. I would accompany the latter with a tempo hit on the 1pt.
I think this last candidate is wrong for a couple of reasons. 1. It uses the last spare from the 6pt to make its tempo hit, and 2. slotting the opponent’s bar point gives him a good 6 to play from the bar.
So that makes it a close choice between running and putting a dilly builder on the 4pt. I’ll go with the former. Running puts Blue into a game plan where is actually ahead.
R (Run) = 22/13
Mike