Backgammon – 3 Basic Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 03/18/2016 02:21 am by Zaire
In astonishingly general terms, there are three general techniques employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between strategies quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you might manage, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable procedure at the start of the game. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your opponent tosses an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time dire straits taking into account that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or more checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least 2 of your checkers.) It would be played when you are extremely behind as it much improves your opportunities. The best places for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is critical for a powerful backgame: besides, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your competitor is shifting their checkers home, considering that you do not have any other extra checkers to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this case!