Backgammon – 3 Basic Strategies
Posted in Backgammon on 01/22/2024 12:25 am by Jillian
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 main plans used. You want to be agile enough to switch strategies instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you are able to manage, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate course of action at the start of the game. You can create the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is then in big-time difficulty taking into account that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It must be played when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your opportunities. The better locations for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this straight away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, seeing that you do not have any other spare pieces to shift! In this case, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your challenger to get them in this case!