Backgammon – 3 Main Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 04/21/2016 11:21 pm by Jillian
In astonishingly simple terms, there are 3 chief strategies employed. You need to be able to hop between techniques instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you are able to achieve, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the start of the game. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is now in serious difficulty since they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or more pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least two of your pieces.) It should be used when you are significantly behind as this strategy much improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchors are towards your opponent’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your opposer is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other extra pieces to move! In this case, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!