Backgammon – Three Main Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 11/02/2021 11:25 pm by Jillian
In astonishingly general terms, there are three fundamental strategies employed. You must be agile enough to switch techniques quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you are able to achieve, to barricade in the competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable strategy at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is now in serious trouble since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be played when you are extremely behind as this plan much improves your chances. The better places for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is important for a competent backgame: besides, there is no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opponent is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you don’t have any other extra checkers to move! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this situation!