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Nine Men Hall

From the problem cellar

Dots and boxes problem #517

MediumLight · take 10 of 16 boxes

Setting up the board…

Light plays now and can secure at least 10 of the 16 boxes still open.

The task

To move
Light
Difficulty
Medium
Goal
take 10 of 16 boxes

16 boxes are still unclaimed. The best line gives the side to move a margin of 4. A 4 × 4 board in the chain phase. Count chains before you draw anything.

What to look for

  • A sacrifice: giving material first is the only way to force the result.
  • Control: make your opponent open the long chains.

How the answer is checked

There is exactly one first move that forces the result; any other first move allows the defence to escape. Moves that keep the forced result are accepted later in the line, and a move that loses it is taken back with a short note.

Show the key move

The key move is d1-d2. The main line runs: d1-d2 · c1-d1 · d2-e2 · a2-b2 · b2-c2 · b1-b2 · b2-b3 · c3-d3 · d2-d3 · d3-e3 · d4-e4 · c3-c4 · b3-b4 · a4-b4 · b4-b5 · c4-c5 · d4-d5.