Can someone explain what the right move here is and what makes it better than the other plays? Thanks.

That's a tough one! Looks like the choices are 13/8 24/23 or 24/18. I would be slightly more tempted to play 24/18 here just because he strips his 13 point if he hits with a 6 and you have some compensation in the form of return shots if your hit. Your inner board is stronger so you don't mind some contact. White's position looks a little over-stacked and stiff here.

It's time to get the back men moving, and any play on your side of the board weakens your position. 24/18 looks clearly right.

One benefit of coming out to the bar point is what one friend calls the "distraction factor." Your opponent would like to quietly continue the business of building a prime. When you force the action by coming out to the bar point, that plan is disrupted. There is often much duplication. Some of the rolls that hit on the bar point are rolls that could have been used to make a good point.

In this position, your opponent has combinations of 1, 3, and 6 to make his 5pt. His hitting numbers are 1, 4, and 6. The overlap means there is some duplication. Note as well that two of his outside points are stripped. If he hits, he may have to give up one of them.

It is interesting to compare this position with the one Colin posted this week. Both feature 24/18 as part of a play that forces the opponent to attend to the blot on the bar point instead of his plan.

One other point: 13/8 is a weak move in this position because is lessens the odds of making your own bar point or hitting a runner that your opponent launches into the outfield.

Mike