Archive for December 17th, 2020

Backgammon – 3 General Schemes

Posted in Backgammon on 12/17/2020 12:25 am by Zaire

In very simple terms, there are three fundamental game plans used. You need to be agile enough to switch tactics quickly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to manage, to block in your competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable procedure at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift 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 challenger on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your challenger is then in big-time dire straits because they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or more anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It must be played when you are significantly behind as this action much improves your circumstances. The better locations for anchors are close to your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, considering that you don’t have any other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up until your competitor gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!