Posted by Darien | Posted in Backgammon | Posted on 05-03-2022
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 chief plans used. You must be agile enough to switch techniques instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you might achieve, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable tactic at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your challenger rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is now in big-time trouble because they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum two of your checkers.) It needs to be played when you are decidedly behind as this plan much improves your circumstances. The strongest places for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for an effective backgame: besides, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your opponent is getting their checkers home, considering that you don’t have any other additional pieces to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a great idea to attempt and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!