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The analysis of the Achilles defense on Wetpaint is better for opening and mid-game moves, or, that is to say, moves when large parts of the board are blank. Surrounding pegs change the analysis. For example, starting with the Achilles defense |18.q6, here are some possible future lines:
19.q8 20.o7 21.u6 22.s7 23.v8 24.t9 25.u11 26.u12 27.v13 28.t10 29.u10 - White win on account of R10-R16 gauntlet. (But: 22.r8 23.t9 24.v6 - win for Black.)
19.o7 20.o5 21.q8 22.n7 23.m8 24.l6 25.j9 26.j7 27.i7 28.h6 29.g6 30.f5 31.e5 32.d4 33.d5 34.e6 35.e7 - White wins because of the c3 peg.
19.p9 20.o7 21.n8 22.m8 23.k8 24.n10 25.o11 - White win on the strength of the K10-K14 group.
And there are many other things that could have happened. So, you have to be careful about applying the Achilles defense analysis from Wetpaint to the endgame.
So what do you do if there are interfering pegs? Feel it out with some possible lines. Since you're facing down a combinatorial explosion, it's best to know the common patterns, so you don't waste time considering bad possibilities. Here, after |18.q6, the first thing I'd look at is 19.p9 -- that's probably the strongest response 90% of the time. I'd only look at other possibilities if that one didn't work.
After 17.r10, then 18.r5, and black secures the right side connection.
For remembering to consider link-back moves like 16.o8, it may help to keep in mind the principle that before 16.o8, white had a large and wide open playing space from w2 to b9. However, after 16.o8, white was restricted to having two separate and much smaller playing areas (w2 to q10; b2 to n9) to work with -- therefore more difficult to navigate through -- and furthermore, black had an extra advantage within each one by virtue of having the o8-p10 link in place along one edge of the reduced playing area, no matter which one white might choose to attack.
A four-away drop-back move such as 16.p6 might have been equally useful to black in that spot.
|20.s7 21.q8 22.q6 23.p6 24.o6 25.t4 26.p4 27.t9 OR
|20.s7 21.q8 22.r5 23.o7 24.n5 25.n6 26.m7 27.m8 OR
|20.s7 21.q8 22.o6 23.s5 white still wins.
So, backing up one more notch, how about
|18.q6 19.q8 20.p4 OR
|18.q6 19.q7 20.r8 21.p9 22.o7 OR
|18.q6 19.o7 20.q8 21.s8 22.s5 23.q7 24.o5 25.m6 26.p6 OR ... what?
Anyway, don't forget the latent N10 threat. So, in reply to your OR ... what? How about this:
|18.q6 19.o7 20.q8 21.s8 22.s5 23.q7 24.o5, like you started out, but then 25.n10 26.o10 27.o8 28.j5 29.l5 30.m6 31.j6 32.i7 33.j4, and it looks like a White win to me. Without N10, it looks like it ends well for Black: 25.o8 26.j5 27.l5 28.m6 29.j6 30.i7 31.j4 32.l8 33.k8 34.n9.
|18.q6 19.o7 20.q8 21.s8 22.s5 23.q7 24.o5 25.n10 26.j5 27.l5 28.n7 29.j9 30.k3 31.g6
But how about
|18.q6 19.o7 20.q8 21.s8 22.s5 23.q7 24.o5 25.n10 26.l6 27.j9 28.h6
If you're looking for a victory for Black after |18.q6 19.o7, how about: 20.o5 21.q8 22.n7 23.m8 24.j5 ?