Backgammon – 3 General Strategies
Posted in Backgammon on 10/05/2016 02:21 am by Zaire
In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 general techniques employed. You must be able to switch game plans almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to lock in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate tactic at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your challenger rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is now in big-time dire straits considering that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It must be employed when you are significantly behind as it much improves your circumstances. The best areas for anchors are near your opponent’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break down this straight away, while your opponent is getting their pieces home, considering that you do not have any other extra pieces to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this situation!