Backgammon – Three Main Plans
Posted in Backgammon on 12/08/2015 11:21 pm by Jillian
In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 fundamental tactics employed. You want to be able to switch game plans instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to manage, to lock in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your competitor 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 are able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your opponent is now in big-time dire straits seeing that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It should be used when you are significantly behind as this strategy greatly improves your chances. The better locations for anchors are towards your competitor’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, because you don’t have any other spare pieces to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up till your competitor gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!