2024 - Position 113

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Match Play. Red leads 8-7 to 13. How should Red play 22?

The key here is to understand the game plan.

White has a perfectly timed 2-4 back game. Red’s outer board points are mainly liabilities rather than assets. The last thing Red should do is to create a new liability by making his bar-point as that point will then be difficult to clear and he could easily end up leaving multiple double shots.

For the moment keeping the 8- and 9- points is useful to block White’s fours (particularly) and fives.

Best by a long way is the simple 12/6, 8/6, keeping those points for the moment but preparing to clear the 8-point if the right number is thrown next turn. Second best is 8/6(3), 5/3 but even that is nearly a blunder. 9/7(3), 8/6 is a blunder.