Position 1

Blue's main game plan: Priming. White's main game plan: Racing.

Key Indicators

• Blue holds the 5, 6, 7 and 8 points.
• White has single back checkers on Blue's 2 and 4 points.
• White leads the pip count by only 7, 139 to 146.

Reasoning

Blue should preserve and extend the prime. Blue already holds the 5, 6, 7 and 8 points, with White's two back checkers still behind that barrier.

Those blots invite an attack, but the hit should support Blue's structure. Hitting on the 2 point at the cost of breaking the 8 point would leave only three contiguous blocking points. Pointing on White's blot on the 4 point, while preserving the existing prime, would instead extend it to five points. Bring builders into position to strengthen the trap rather than chase a hit that weakens it.

White's racing plan still involves contact. White leads by 7 pips but must escape the two back checkers to turn that lead into a straightforward race.

Position 2

Blue's main game plan: Attacking. White's main game plan: Priming.

Key Indicators

• Blue has a four-point prime on the 5 through 8 points.
• White leaves single checkers on Blue's 2 and 4 points.
• Blue leads the race by 22 pips, 118 to 140.

Reasoning

Blue should attack. Blue leads by 22 pips, has a four-point prime on the 5 through 8 points, and White leaves blots on the 2 and 4 points with no advanced anchor. Priming still deserves consideration, since four points already control White's back checkers. Five checkers each on the 6 and 8 points provide spares for attacking without dismantling the prime. The reachable targets make attack credible when a hit also improves Blue's board. Pointing on White's blot on the 4 point changes the structure. Blue gains a five-point prime and White must enter before using the rest of the turn. White's priming plan is to build around Blue's lone 24 point checker with its made 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 points. Blue should preserve the existing prime when no attack improves it.

Position 3

Blue's main game plan: Attacking. White's main game plan: Racing.

Key Indicators

• Blue has three inner-board points on the 3, 4 and 6 points, plus the 8 point.
• White leaves blots on Blue's 2 and 16 points.
• Blue leads the race by 22 pips, 134 to 156.

Reasoning

Blue should attack through point making. Blue has made the 3, 4 and 6 points in its inner board plus the 8 point, and White has a blot on the 2 point. Racing is credible from the 22-pip lead. Yet a quiet running turn gives White a chance to move the deep checker toward escape, while making a point or hitting a blot can keep contact useful when it improves Blue's board. Blue needs to retain the 3, 4 and 6 points; breaking them merely to hit White's back checker gives up the strongest part of the position. White's racing plan depends on getting that checker past Blue's inner board, so Blue should use contact when it builds a point or worsens White's entry.

Position 4

Blue's main game plan: Anchoring. White's main game plan: Attacking.

Key Indicators

• Blue trails 164 to 132 and holds the advanced 5 point anchor.
• White has six made points, including Blue's 5, 17 and 19 points.
• Blue's checker on the 20 point can hit White's blot on Blue's 18 point.

Reasoning

Blue should anchor rather than attack. Blue holds White's 5 point, while White has six made points and a blot on Blue's 18 point. Hitting the 18 point blot is a credible attacking alternative because Blue's checker on the 20 point can reach it. Even so, the 32-pip deficit and White's attacking builders make the anchor Blue's useful resource. Blue should keep the 5 point anchor, avoid leaving another blot in addition to the blot on the 4 point, and improve its board when it can. White's attacking plan is to use its made points and builders to pressure Blue before the anchor produces a shot. A later break becomes plausible only if the race, board strength, or White's attacking resources change.

Position 5

Blue's main game plan: Anchoring. White's main game plan: Attacking.

Key Indicators

• Blue trails 157 to 100 with one checker on the bar.
• Blue already has an anchor on White's 2 point.
• White owns six made points, including its 1, 4 and 6 points in the inner board.

Reasoning

Blue should anchor. Blue is 57 pips behind, has a checker on the bar, and already owns White's 2 point with two checkers. Blue's made 4, 5 and 6 points make attacking credible, especially because White has a blot on Blue's 22 point. But White's made points on Blue's 24, 21 and 19 points make entry the immediate problem. Blue should enter without giving up the anchor or leaving additional blots for White to attack. White's plan is to use its board and builders against Blue's entering checker. An attack matters on an entry sequence that also makes constructive use of White's blot on the 22 point without abandoning the anchor. Until then, racing enlarges the effect of Blue's race deficit.

Position 6

Blue's main game plan: Racing. White's main game plan: Anchoring.

Key Indicators

• Blue leads 124 to 161 by 37 pips.
• Blue has a five-point prime on the 6 through 10 points.
• White holds anchors on Blue's 2 and 5 points; the 5 point anchor can escape over the prime with a 6.

Reasoning

Blue should race, with the prime as cover. Blue holds the 6 through 10 prime against White's anchors on the 2 and 5 points. The five-point prime restrains White, but the 5 point anchor can escape over it with a 6, so White is not fully trapped. Extending the prime can still be useful if it improves coverage and keeps Blue flexible. The 37-pip lead means plays should also bring checkers toward the bearoff or improve distribution. White waits for Blue to weaken the prime or leave a return shot. Blue should clear outer points safely past the anchors, reassessing if White escapes or Blue must leave a shot.

Position 7

Blue's main game plan: Priming. White's main game plan: Racing.

Key Indicators

• Blue owns a four-point prime on the 3 through 6 points.
• White has a blot on Blue's ace point and Blue has an advanced 5 point anchor.
• White leads 84 to 113 by 29 pips.

Reasoning

Blue should prime. Blue trails by 29 pips, yet owns the 3, 4, 5 and 6 points in front of White's ace point blot and holds White's 5 point as an anchor. The ace point blot makes attacking the credible alternative, not racing. Blue needs a longer game. A hit can help if it also keeps the prime connected or improves an edge; a hit that leaves White free to run wastes Blue's structural advantage. White's racing plan needs the ace checker to get past the 3 through 6 points while the other checkers bear in. Blue is trying to delay that escape, using the prime and anchor together. If the ace checker gets past the prime, the anchor still matters, but Blue must reconsider the balance.

Position 8

Blue's main game plan: Attacking. White's main game plan: Anchoring.

Key Indicators

• Blue leads 152 to 193 by 41 pips.
• White has three checkers on Blue's ace point and a blot on Blue's 4 point.
• Blue has five checkers on the 6 point and four on the 8 point.

Reasoning

Blue should attack. White has three checkers on Blue's ace point and a blot on Blue's 4 point, and Blue has builders on the 6 and 8 points. Racing is plausible from the 41-pip lead, but a quiet turn may let White make Blue's 4 point anchor. Hitting the blot loose or pointing on it can deny that settlement while developing Blue's board. A return hit puts Blue on the bar against White's one made inner-board point, limiting immediate danger. The purpose is to deny the anchor, not assume a closeout. If White anchors safely on Blue's 4 point, the attack loses its target and Blue must switch toward racing and bearing in.

Position 9

Blue's main game plan: Priming. White's main game plan: Racing.

Key Indicators

• Blue has a four-point prime on the 4 through 7 points.
• White has blots on Blue's 2 and 3 points.
• Blue trails 167 to 141 by 26 pips and holds White's 5 and 3 point anchors.

Reasoning

Blue should prime. Blue trails by 26 pips, holds the 4 through 7 points in front of White's blots on Blue's 2 and 3 points, and owns White's 5 and 3 points. Those blots make attacking credible. Weigh the immediate gain from a hit against the blocking point it may sacrifice. Improving an edge while preserving the prime serves the plan; breaking it needs a concrete tactical benefit. White needs to get both back checkers safely past Blue's board while the rest bear in. Blue's objective is to delay that escape while developing edge builders without breaking the prime. This keeps the game from becoming a simple race. The advanced anchor keeps contact relevant if the prime later changes.

Position 10

Blue's main game plan: Attacking. White's main game plan: Priming.

Key Indicators

• Blue leads 131 to 149 by 18 pips.
• Blue has made the 1, 5, 6 and 7 points with White blots on the 2 and 3 points.
• Blue's back checkers remain on White's 1 and 2 points.

Reasoning

Blue should attack. Blue leads by 18 pips, owns the 1, 5, 6 and 7 points, and White leaves blots on the 2 and 3 points. Priming is plausible, but the made ace point and four checkers on the 6 point give Blue an attacking shape rather than a flexible prime. Pointing on a blot or hitting it loose can send White's checker to the bar while keeping Blue's board strong. White wants to make points ahead of Blue's checkers on White's 1 and 2 points. Blue should not treat every hit as automatic. When no attack improves the board, covering and protecting the back checkers can be preferable. The aim is bar pressure that disrupts White's plan, not an assumed quick closeout.