Backgammon – 3 Main Plans
Posted in Backgammon on 11/14/2019 06:25 am by Madisyn
In exceptionally general terms, there are three chief plans used. You want to be agile enough to switch techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you might achieve, to lock in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable procedure at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is then in big-time trouble seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or more anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It must be played when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your chances. The best locations for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for a competent backgame: after all, there is no reason having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break down this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, seeing that you don’t have any other extra pieces to move! In this situation, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this case!