Archive for March 14th, 2016

Backgammon – 3 Main Plans

Posted in Backgammon on 03/14/2016 02:21 pm by Jillian
[ English ]

In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 fundamental game plans used. You want to be agile enough to hop between strategies quickly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you can achieve, to block in the competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This consists of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your opponent tosses an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your opposer is then in big-time calamity taking into account that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or higher pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It needs to be employed when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The best locations for anchors are close to your competitor’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this right away, while your challenger is shifting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other extra checkers to move! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your opponent gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!