Backgammon – Three Main Strategies
Posted in Backgammon on 04/23/2016 07:21 pm by Jillian
In very simple terms, there are 3 chief strategies used. You must be agile enough to switch strategies instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you might manage, to lock in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable tactic at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your opponent rolls an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is now in serious calamity taking into account that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least 2 of your pieces.) It should be used when you are decidedly behind as this strategy much improves your chances. The best places for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for an effectual backgame: besides, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your opponent is moving their pieces home, because you don’t have any other spare checkers to move! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!