Posted by Darien | Posted in Backgammon | Posted on 27-06-2023
The goal of a Backgammon match is to move your pieces around the game board and pull them from the board faster than your competitor who works just as hard to achieve the same buthowever they move in the opposing direction. Winning a game in Backgammon requires both tactics and luck. Just how far you will be able to shift your pieces is left to the numbers from tossing a pair of dice, and just how you move your checkers are determined by your overall gambling tactics. Players use a few strategies in the differing stages of a match dependent on your positions and opponent’s.
The Running Game Technique
The aim of the Running Game plan is to lure all your chips into your home board and get them off as fast as you can. This tactic concentrates on the pace of moving your pieces with little or no time spent to hit or barricade your opponent’s checkers. The ideal time to use this strategy is when you think you might be able to move your own chips a lot faster than the opposing player does: when 1) you have a fewer checkers on the game board; 2) all your chips have moved beyond your opponent’s chips; or 3) your opponent does not employ the hitting or blocking technique.
The Blocking Game Technique
The main goal of the blocking tactic, by the name, is to stop your competitor’s checkers, temporarily, not worrying about shifting your pieces quickly. As soon as you’ve established the blockade for your opponent’s movement with a couple of checkers, you can move your other pieces rapidly from the game board. You really should also have a good strategy when to back off and move the chips that you used for blocking. The game gets intriguing when your competitor uses the same blocking tactic.
In very general terms, there are 3 basic strategies used. You must be able to hop between tactics almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you are able to achieve, to lock in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is now in serious dire straits taking into account that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or more pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at least 2 of your checkers.) It would be used when you are extremely behind as it much improves your circumstances. The strongest locations for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for an effective backgame: besides, there is no reason having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break down this right away, while your opposer is shifting their pieces home, because you do not have any other extra pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up till your competitor gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a great idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this case!
In very general terms, there are three main game plans used. You need to be agile enough to hop between strategies almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to manage, to lock in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your opponent tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your opponent is now in big-time difficulty taking into account that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest areas for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is critical for a powerful backgame: after all, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opposer is getting their pieces home, taking into account that you don’t have any other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this case!
Posted by Darien | Posted in Backgammon | Posted on 11-06-2023
As we have dicussed in the last article, Backgammon is a game of talent and good luck. The aim is to move your pieces carefully around the board to your inside board while at the same time your opposition moves their pieces toward their home board in the opposing direction. With competing player checkers shifting in opposing directions there is bound to be conflict and the need for particular techniques at specific times. Here are the two final Backgammon techniques to finish off your game.
The Priming Game Plan
If the aim of the blocking strategy is to slow down the opponent to shift her pieces, the Priming Game plan is to absolutely block any activity of the opposing player by creating a prime – ideally 6 points in a row. The opponent’s checkers will either get hit, or end up in a battered position if she at all tries to escape the wall. The trap of the prime can be established anyplace between point 2 and point 11 in your board. After you’ve successfully constructed the prime to prevent the activity of your opponent, the opponent doesn’t even get a chance to roll the dice, that means you move your checkers and roll the dice yet again. You’ll win the game for sure.
The Back Game Plan
The goals of the Back Game technique and the Blocking Game technique are very similar – to harm your opponent’s positions with hope to boost your odds of succeeding, however the Back Game plan relies on alternate techniques to achieve that. The Back Game technique is often utilized when you’re far behind your opponent. To play Backgammon with this plan, you have to hold two or more points in table, and to hit a blot (a single piece) late in the game. This strategy is more difficult than others to employ in Backgammon because it requires careful movement of your pieces and how the pieces are moved is partly the outcome of the dice roll.