Backgammon – Three Main Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 03/15/2021 01:25 pm by Jillian
In very general terms, there are 3 chief strategies employed. You must be able to switch game plans almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to achieve, to lock in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable procedure at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your competitor rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is now in serious trouble taking into account that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or more pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least 2 of your checkers.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as this strategy much improves your circumstances. The better places for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you don’t have any other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!