Backgammon – Three Main Schemes
Tuesday, 15. December 2015
In very general terms, there are three basic techniques used. You must be able to switch tactics quickly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to block in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opponent tosses an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is now in serious difficulty considering that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or more pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It must be used when you are significantly behind as this action greatly improves your circumstances. The best areas for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and either on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is critical for a competent backgame: besides, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this right away, while your challenger is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have any other additional checkers to move! In this situation, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this case!
Posted in Backgammon by Jada