Backgammon – 3 Basic Strategies
Posted in Backgammon on 04/10/2019 07:25 pm by Madisyn
In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 main techniques employed. You want to be able to switch tactics quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you might achieve, to lock in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable course of action at the start of the match. You can create the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your opponent rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is then in big-time trouble because they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be used when you are significantly behind as this action much improves your circumstances. The best places for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this right away, while your opposer is shifting their checkers home, taking into account that you don’t have other extra pieces to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!