Backgammon Information

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In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 fundamental techniques employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between game plans almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you can manage, to block in the opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate procedure at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This consists of closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your competitor rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is then in serious calamity taking into account that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or higher pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your chances. The better locations for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchors 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, because you do not have any other additional pieces to move! In this situation, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position up till your competitor gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this case!