Backgammon – Three Basic Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 06/07/2023 11:25 pm by Jillian
In very general terms, there are three chief plans employed. You need to be agile enough to hop between techniques almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to block in your competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your challenger tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is then in big-time trouble because they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have 2 or more anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a point filled by at least two of your checkers.) It must be used when you are decidedly behind as this strategy greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your opponent is getting their checkers home, considering that you do not have other additional pieces to move! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your opponent gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a great idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this case!