Backgammon – 3 Main Strategies
by Karla on Friday, May 26th, 2023
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three fundamental plans used. You want to be agile enough to switch techniques almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to manage, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your challenger rolls an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play six/one six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is then in big-time dire straits taking into account that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be employed when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your chances. The better areas for anchor spots are near your competitor’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for an effective backgame: after all, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your opponent is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have other additional pieces to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up till your competitor gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a great idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!
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