Backgammon – Three General Strategies
Posted in Backgammon on 01/16/2023 08:25 pm by Lillie
In very general terms, there are three basic tactics employed. You must be agile enough to switch strategies quickly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you can achieve, to lock in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable tactic at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your opposer rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is now in serious trouble because they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are extremely behind as this action much improves your chances. The best areas for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: besides, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your opposer is getting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don’t have any other additional checkers to shift! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this situation!