Backgammon – 3 Basic Schemes
Thursday, 31. March 2016
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three basic tactics used. You must be agile enough to switch game plans almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to achieve, to barricade in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate course of action at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is now in big-time dire straits seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or more anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least 2 of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your chances. The strongest places for anchors are towards your opponent’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break down this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other extra checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!
Posted in Backgammon by Jada