Backgammon – Three Main Plans
In very general terms, there are three main game plans used. You need to be agile enough to switch game plans almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you might manage, to barricade in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your challenger tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is now in big-time dire straits since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at least two of your pieces.) It should be employed when you are significantly behind as it much improves your opportunities. The strongest areas for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is essential for an competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your opposer is moving their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don’t have any other extra checkers to move! In this situation, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your opposer provides you a opportunity to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to try and get your opposerto hit them in this situation!
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