Backgammon – Three Main Strategies

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In astonishingly simple terms, there are three fundamental techniques used. You need to be agile enough to switch tactics almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to barricade in the opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable procedure at the start of the game. You can build the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your opponent rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is now in serious calamity because they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be played when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The best areas for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with one point in between. Timing is crucial for a competent backgame: after all, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their pieces home, taking into account that you don’t have other additional checkers to move! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up till your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opposer to get them in this situation!