Backgammon – Three Main Strategies
Friday, 9. July 2021
In exceptionally general terms, there are three basic strategies used. You must be able to hop between strategies almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you can achieve, to barricade in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable procedure at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your opposer rolls an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is now in big-time difficulty considering that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or more anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It would be used when you are significantly behind as this strategy much improves your circumstances. The best locations for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is integral for an effectual backgame: after all, there’s no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to dismantle this right away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, considering that you do not have other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!
Posted in Backgammon by Jada