Backgammon – Three General Strategies
Posted in Backgammon on 10/08/2022 07:25 pm by Zaire
In exceptionally simple terms, there are 3 fundamental plans employed. You must be agile enough to hop between tactics instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to achieve, to barricade in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is then in big-time difficulty seeing that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at least two of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your chances. The better areas for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is essential for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have other spare pieces to move! In this case, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!