Backgammon – Three Basic Plans
Posted in Backgammon on 10/24/2022 11:25 pm by LillieIn extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 fundamental techniques used. You must be able to hop between strategies instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to lock in the opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable course of action at the start of the game. You can create the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opposer is now in serious dire straits seeing that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position filled by at a minimum two of your checkers.) It must be employed when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The best areas for anchors are close to your competitor’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for an effective backgame: after all, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your opposer is moving their checkers home, because you don’t have any other extra checkers to move! In this case, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your opponent gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a great idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this case!