Position # 13

[PersianLord]

Score :         Red 8-0 White
Pip-counts :  Red 142-151 White
Match :         9-point



i don't know why gnubg favores one of these choices so i don't post a spoiler.

[blitzxz]

Spoiler

The score and pips alone almost tells the answer. 8-0 -> play safe. Race lead -> run. Priming is serious risk so 24/21 (2) is clear. After that you can make point behind opponents anchor, cover up the blot or continue run. Lame attack is right out of question because score and race lead. Cover up is not that important because opponent has 1-point board. Important is to get checkers home as fast as possible. So 24/18 (2).

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[PersianLord]

Spoiler

The score and pips alone almost tells the answer. 8-0 -> play safe. Race lead -> run. Priming is serious risk so 24/21 (2) is clear. After that you can make point behind opponents anchor, cover up the blot or continue run. Lame attack is right out of question because score and race lead. Cover up is not that important because opponent has 1-point board. Important is to get checkers home as fast as possible. So 24/18 (2).

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but :

Spoiler

White has actually NO board, so there is no hurry to run. i mean that there is NOT a risk for red to be trapped behind a prime or fearing a strong home board. Thus, what's the reason to run away and leave a shot? By playing 24/21(2) and 13/10(2) you will have an advanced anchor plus leaving no shot. By 24/21(2), you will leave shots in the future when white's board is probably stronger. But with 24/21(2), you prevent him from following a building and constructing plan.

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[blitzxz]

Spoiler

Yeah, the difference between run and cover is propably not so big. Main thing is that cover breaks the connection to backcheckers and there clearly is a risk of priming if white rolls jokers, 1-1, 6-1, 6-6, 4-4 and so on. Even a mini prime that white already has can be a problem later when red tries to run from the 4-point anchor. And also if white hits after 24/18 (2), his likely to leave lots of return shots and he doesn't have a board. So the hitting contest is likely to go reds way. And even if it doesn't red will have strong holding position with bar-point and very likely some other anchor point.

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[PersianLord]

Spoiler

Yeah, the difference between run and cover is propably not so big. Main thing is that cover breaks the connection to backcheckers and there clearly is a risk of priming if white rolls jokers, 1-1, 6-1, 6-6, 4-4 and so on. Even a mini prime that white already has can be a problem later when red tries to run from the 4-point anchor. And also if white hits after 24/18 (2), his likely to leave lots of return shots and he doesn't have a board. So the hitting contest is likely to go reds way. And even if it doesn't red will have strong holding position with bar-point and very likely some other anchor point.

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Spoiler

if you fear jokers for white after 24/21(2), why don't you fear jokers like 3-3 after leaving the 10pt blot?! As this is the last game for white, he will gain every opportunity to shot and disturb red's play as he is in a risk-free position.

Also when red occupies 18pt, he allows white to build his home with ease and as red can escape the back men in 18pt only with doubles (= JOKERS), he will leave a fatal shot in a time when it is the worst,i.e. white has a strong board.

Also note that white has an advanced anchor and even the red's men on 13pt might have trouble in reaching home and since white has his last chances, he will play the most agressive plan. So, he will retain his anchor and will wait for late shots. But if red plays 24/21(2)-13/10(2), firstly he perevents white from following an easy constructing plan, and secondly he ensures that even if he gets hit, he will have a landing place and that will not be the end of the world for him.

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[PersianLord]

Thanks you blitzxz. I updated the blog with your help.