Posted by Darien | Posted in Backgammon | Posted on 28-09-2017
In very general terms, there are 3 basic techniques employed. You need to be agile enough to hop between tactics quickly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you might manage, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the game. You can create the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your competitor tosses an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play six/one six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is then in serious calamity taking into account that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or higher anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be played when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The better areas for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: after all, there is no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other additional pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this case!