small grid handicap puzzle

Red to move and win.

I believe there is only one correct first move, and that there are at least three responses by blue for which there is again only one (non-obvious) move by red which wins. This is from a game on Game Center. I will send a Jtwixt file containing the solution tree plus lots of other analysis on the game, to anyone who asks. My emal is twixtfanatic atsymbol gmail period com.  I'm using you to test my analysis before I post an article about the whole game on Board Game Geek.  Thanks in advance.

I try:

K10 - J12 or

M12 - L13

If you want a virtual board to explore variations, install Jtwixt from http://canyon23.net/xyz/jgame_beta/ Select an 18x18 grid. In the Misc menu, import the following simple format game record: 1. G11    2. H7  3. M7     4. L7  5. K6     6. K9  7. N9     8. M11

I recommend you position the Jtwixt window so that both row 17 and row 18 are blocked from view, so you see the four corner holes of the common playing area. Also it may help if you disable the guide lines display.

You can also use T1j from http://www.johannes-schwagereit.de/twixt/T1j/index.html#english choose a new game with human players and with size 17 on the left and 18 on the right. The guide lines will be correct and you won't need to block off part of the window, but you won't be able to store variations, only a single line.

For Red : O12-N10-L11-H9 is winning I guess.

1.O12 would be too easy. Blue has 2.N12

This forms a beam setup with K9, as indicated by the hollow circles. One variation from here is 3.N10 4.M10

Blue has a double threat as shown. Another variation is 3.M13 4.P11

5.O10 6.O9

7.N11 8.M10 wins for blue.

Sorry that was a tilt setup not a beam setup.

If you do write an article about this on BGG, please post it here as well! I would be interested in reading the analysis.

I haven't done the article yet, but here is a link to the solution. I apologize for my misleading response to Florian's 1.O12 suggestion, which does actually work, but not in the way Florian gave. Actually I didn't realize that was an alternative key move when I gave my response. I welcome any comments or questions about this puzzle.

I hope to have that article about the entire game completed soon.

Sorry bad link, here is the solution.