Backgammon Information

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In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 general plans used. You want to be able to hop between techniques quickly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to achieve, to barricade in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is comprised of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your challenger is now in big-time trouble due to the fact that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or higher pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It must be used when you are extremely behind as this strategy much improves your circumstances. The best places for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your opponent is getting their checkers home, because you do not have any other additional pieces to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your challenger gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a good idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this case!