Backgammon – 3 General Strategies
Posted in Backgammon on 07/14/2017 08:25 pm by Zaire
In astonishingly general terms, there are three chief game plans employed. You must be able to switch tactics quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you might manage, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable procedure at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is then in serious difficulty due to the fact that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It should be used when you are decidedly behind as this strategy much improves your chances. The best locations for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for an effective backgame: after all, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this right away, while your opposer is getting their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have any other extra checkers to move! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up till your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a good idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this case!