Backgammon – 3 General Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 07/02/2019 07:25 pm by Madisyn
In very general terms, there are 3 fundamental techniques used. You must be agile enough to hop between techniques instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to achieve, to barricade in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the start of the game. You can create the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your challenger rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opposer is then in serious calamity because they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or higher checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It must be used when you are significantly behind as this strategy much improves your chances. The best locations for anchor spots are near your opponent’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your opponent is moving their pieces home, seeing that you do not have any other extra pieces to move! In this case, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a great idea to attempt and get your competitor to hit them in this case!