Archive for January 26th, 2017

Backgammon – Three Basic Plans

Posted in Backgammon on 01/26/2017 03:25 pm by Jillian

In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three fundamental techniques used. You must be agile enough to hop between techniques quickly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you might manage, to block in your competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is then in big-time dire straits considering that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be used when you are decidedly behind as this plan much improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: after all, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break down this straight away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, considering that you don’t have any other additional checkers to shift! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to attempt and get your challenger to get them in this situation!