Backgammon – 3 Basic Schemes
Posted in Backgammon on 04/21/2016 01:21 pm by Zaire
In astonishingly simple terms, there are three main techniques used. You need to be agile enough to switch tactics instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you can manage, to lock in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable tactic at the start of the match. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is now in serious calamity since they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or higher anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It would be used when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The better places for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s lower points and either on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: after all, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this right away, while your opposer is getting their pieces home, because you don’t have any other additional pieces to shift! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up till your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!