Backgammon Information

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In very simple terms, there are three fundamental game plans employed. You must be agile enough to hop between game plans instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you are able to manage, to barricade in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable course of action at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This consists of locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opponent tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your opposer is now in big-time dire straits taking into account that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or more pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be employed when you are decidedly behind as this action greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for an effective backgame: after all, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your challenger is getting their checkers home, seeing that you do not have other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this case!