Backgammon – Three Basic Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 09/14/2019 09:25 pm by Lillie
In astonishingly general terms, there are three chief techniques employed. You want to be able to switch game plans quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to barricade in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable procedure at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle 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 opposer on the bar. i.e., if your challenger tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is now in serious difficulty seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It should be used when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The best places for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your challenger is getting their checkers home, seeing that you don’t have other extra pieces to move! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a great idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this situation!