Backgammon – Three Basic Plans

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In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 basic game plans used. You want to be agile enough to hop between game plans instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to block in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your opponent tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is then in serious dire straits considering that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or higher pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It needs to be employed when you are significantly behind as it much improves your chances. The strongest places for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for a competent backgame: besides, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your opponent is moving their pieces home, taking into account that you don’t have other additional checkers to move! In this case, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this situation!