Backgammon – Three Main Strategies
Friday, 11. August 2017
In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 chief strategies used. You need to be able to switch strategies almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to barricade in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable procedure at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your challenger tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is now in big-time dire straits seeing that they have two pieces 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 competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It must be played when you are extremely behind as it much improves your opportunities. The best locations for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opposer is moving their checkers home, taking into account that you do not have any other additional checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your competitor gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a great idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this situation!
Posted in Backgammon by Jada