Backgammon – 3 Basic Strategies
by Caden on Wednesday, July 7th, 2021
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three chief tactics employed. You need to be agile enough to switch game plans instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you are able to achieve, to lock in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your challenger rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is now in big-time difficulty seeing that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It would be played when you are extremely behind as this action much improves your opportunities. The best areas for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is essential for a powerful backgame: besides, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, because you don’t have other additional checkers to move! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a great idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this case!
Posted in Backgammon | No Comments »
