Backgammon – 3 Main Plans
In astonishingly simple terms, there are 3 basic strategies employed. You must be agile enough to switch strategies quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you might achieve, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is then in serious difficulty considering that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position filled by at least two of your checkers.) It needs to be played when you are extremely behind as it much improves your opportunities. The better places for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your challenger is moving their pieces home, because you do not have any other extra checkers to move! In this case, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position until your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this case!
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