Backgammon – Three Main Plans

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In exceptionally general terms, there are three chief strategies used. You want to be able to hop between tactics almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to lock in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate strategy at the start of the match. You can create the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is then in serious calamity taking into account that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or higher anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be played when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your chances. The strongest areas for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for a powerful 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 apart this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their pieces home, considering that you don’t have any other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up until your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!