Backgammon – Three Basic Strategies
Posted in Backgammon on 09/30/2022 09:25 pm by Lillie
In exceptionally general terms, there are three chief plans employed. You want to be able to switch game plans instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you might achieve, to lock in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable tactic at the start of the game. You can create the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time calamity considering that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or more checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at least two of your pieces.) It must be employed when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The best places for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s lower points and either on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break down this right away, while your opposer is shifting their pieces home, because you don’t have other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your challenger to get them in this case!