Backgammon – Three Main Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 02/23/2018 11:25 am by Zaire
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three fundamental game plans used. You want to be able to switch tactics almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to block in your competitor’s pieces that are 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 within your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your competitor rolls an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is now in big-time trouble due to the fact that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or more checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position filled by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be used when you are extremely behind as this strategy greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest locations for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for a competent backgame: after all, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, because you do not have other spare checkers to shift! In this case, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a great idea to attempt and get your challenger to get them in this situation!