Backgammon – 3 General Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 11/18/2023 02:25 am by Lillie
In exceptionally simple terms, there are three chief tactics employed. You want to be able to hop between tactics instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you might achieve, to barricade in the competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate strategy at the start of the game. You can create the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your competitor tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is then in serious calamity considering that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or more checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It should be played when you are significantly behind as this plan greatly improves your circumstances. The strongest locations for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: after all, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, because you don’t have other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this case!