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Backgammon – 3 Main Strategies

Posted in Backgammon on 05/09/2017 05:25 am by Zaire
[ English ]

In exceptionally simple terms, there are three chief plans employed. You need to be able to hop between techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to block in your competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable course of action at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is now in serious dire straits taking into account that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or higher checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at least 2 of your checkers.) It should be used when you are significantly behind as this plan greatly improves your circumstances. The best locations for anchors 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 is no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, considering that you do not have any other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this case!