Backgammon – Three Basic Schemes
Posted in Backgammon on 12/28/2015 03:21 am by LillieIn extraordinarily simple terms, there are three basic tactics used. You must be agile enough to hop between tactics almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you are able to manage, to block in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your challenger tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opposer is now in big-time difficulty since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be used when you are extremely behind as this plan greatly improves your opportunities. The better places for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and either on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your opponent is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this situation!