Backgammon – 3 General Strategies
Posted in Backgammon on 02/08/2020 06:25 pm by Madisyn
In very simple terms, there are three fundamental game plans employed. You want to be agile enough to switch techniques instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you can achieve, to barricade in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable procedure at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early two and moves one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is then in big-time difficulty seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It should be used when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your chances. The best areas for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this right away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you do not have other additional checkers to move! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this case!