Backgammon – Three Basic Plans
Posted in Backgammon on 02/09/2020 10:25 am by Madisyn
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 fundamental tactics employed. You want to be agile enough to switch strategies quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to block in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate strategy at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace 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 as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your competitor tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is then in serious trouble since they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or more anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It would be played when you are extremely behind as this action greatly improves your opportunities. The better locations for anchors are towards your competitor’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is crucial for a competent 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 forced to break up this straight away, while your opposer is shifting their checkers home, taking into account that you do not have other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a great idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this situation!