Backgammon – Three General Schemes
In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 basic plans used. You need to be agile enough to switch tactics quickly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to achieve, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable course of action at the start of the match. You can create the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your challenger tosses an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is now in big-time calamity taking into account that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It must be employed when you are significantly behind as this action much improves your chances. The strongest areas for anchor spots are near your opponent’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opponent is shifting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!
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