Backgammon – 3 Basic Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 03/04/2022 10:25 am by Zaire
In astonishingly general terms, there are three general tactics employed. You need to be able to hop between game plans almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you can achieve, to barricade in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your competitor rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you can play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opposer is now in big-time dire straits because they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or more checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at least two of your checkers.) It would be used when you are significantly behind as this plan greatly improves your chances. The strongest areas for anchors are towards your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is essential for an effective backgame: besides, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your opponent is getting their checkers home, seeing that you don’t have other additional pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!