Backgammon – Three General Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 02/18/2019 04:25 am by Zaire
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three general plans employed. You want to be agile enough to switch game plans almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might achieve, to barricade in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable procedure at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is then in serious dire straits taking into account that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or more anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your circumstances. The best locations for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: after all, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this right away, while your opponent is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have any other extra pieces to shift! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!