Backgammon – 3 General Strategies
Posted in Backgammon on 08/30/2024 01:25 pm by Lillie
In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 chief strategies employed. You must be agile enough to switch techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to achieve, to lock in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable strategy at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your competitor rolls an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is now in big-time trouble taking into account that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at least two of your checkers.) It needs to be played when you are extremely behind as this strategy much improves your opportunities. The best areas for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: besides, there is no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opponent is moving their checkers home, because you don’t have any other extra checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up till your challenger gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a great idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!