Backgammon Information

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In very simple terms, there are three main plans used. You want to be agile enough to hop between tactics almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to block in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable procedure at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your competitor rolls an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is then in big-time trouble seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are extremely behind as this action much improves your opportunities. The best locations for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your opposer is getting their pieces home, taking into account that you do not have any other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this situation!