Backgammon – 3 Basic Strategies
Wednesday, 9. December 2020
In extraordinarily general terms, there are three main tactics used. You want to be agile enough to switch game plans instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to achieve, to lock in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is now in big-time dire straits because they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be used when you are extremely behind as this action much improves your opportunities. The best places for anchors are close to your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for an effectual backgame: after all, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, because you don’t have any other extra pieces to shift! In this case, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a great idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!
Posted in Backgammon by Jada