Backgammon – 3 General Plans

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In very simple terms, there are 3 fundamental plans used. You want to be agile enough to hop between game plans quickly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you might achieve, to barricade in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable course of action at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your 2-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. i.e., if your opponent tosses an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play 6/1 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is then in big-time trouble taking into account that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or more anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It needs to be employed when you are significantly behind as this plan much improves your opportunities. The best areas for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for a powerful backgame: besides, there is no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this right away, while your opponent is moving their checkers home, considering that you do not have any other additional checkers to shift! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this case!