Backgammon Information

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In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 basic game plans used. You must be agile enough to hop between game plans instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you might achieve, to lock in the competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your opponent rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is now in big-time trouble since they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It should be played when you are extremely behind as this action greatly improves your chances. The strongest locations for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is crucial for a competent backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your challenger is getting their pieces home, taking into account that you do not have any other extra pieces to move! In this case, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!