Backgammon – Three Basic Schemes
Posted in Backgammon on 09/22/2021 07:25 pm by Zaire
In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 main strategies employed. You want to be able to hop between techniques instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to lock in the opponent’s pieces that are located 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 inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your challenger rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opposer is then in serious trouble since they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or higher pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position filled by at least 2 of your checkers.) It must be used when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your chances. The strongest places for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is essential for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this straight away, while your opposer is getting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your competitor gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this case!