Backgammon – 3 Basic Plans
In extraordinarily general terms, there are three chief techniques employed. You want to be able to switch game plans quickly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you are able to manage, to barricade in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your opposer tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is now in big-time calamity since they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be used when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The best places for anchors are close to your competitor’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your challenger is getting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other extra pieces to shift! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to attempt and get your challenger to get them in this situation!
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
