Backgammon – 3 Basic Schemes
Posted in Backgammon on 01/16/2025 10:25 am by Jillian
In extraordinarily general terms, there are three chief techniques used. You must be able to switch strategies almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you are able to manage, to lock in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable procedure at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your opponent tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is then in big-time calamity considering that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It must be used when you are significantly behind as this strategy much improves your opportunities. The better locations for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your opposer is getting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other additional checkers to shift! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!