Backgammon – 3 General Plans

Monday, 19. September 2022

[ English ]

In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three fundamental plans used. You need to be able to hop between strategies instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to achieve, to barricade in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable strategy at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opponent tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-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 then in serious dire straits because they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point filled by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It must be used when you are significantly behind as this plan much improves your circumstances. The best areas for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is crucial for an effectual backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break down this right away, while your opposer is moving their checkers home, considering that you do not have any other extra pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your challenger gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a great idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this case!

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