Backgammon – Three Main Plans
Posted in Backgammon on 03/15/2022 03:25 am by Lillie
In astonishingly general terms, there are three basic tactics used. You want to be agile enough to hop between strategies almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to manage, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate strategy at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer rolls an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in serious dire straits due to the fact that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or more anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum two of your checkers.) It must be employed when you are decidedly behind as this strategy greatly improves your opportunities. The best places for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for a powerful backgame: after all, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, because you don’t have other additional pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up till your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this case!