Backgammon Information

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In astonishingly general terms, there are three chief plans used. You must be agile enough to switch game plans quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you might manage, to lock in the opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate tactic at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your opponent rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is now in big-time dire straits since they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at least two of your checkers.) It must be employed when you are decidedly behind as this action much improves your opportunities. The best locations for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s lower points and either on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is important for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this right away, while your opponent is shifting their checkers home, taking into account that you don’t have any other additional pieces to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this situation!