Backgammon Information

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In extraordinarily general terms, there are three chief tactics employed. You must be able to switch tactics quickly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to achieve, to barricade in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate procedure at the start of the match. You can create the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your competitor rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your competitor 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 tactic is where you have 2 or more pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It should be used when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The strongest places for anchor spots are near your competitor’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your opposer is moving their pieces home, taking into account that you do not have any other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a great idea to attempt and get your challenger to get them in this situation!