Backgammon – Three Basic Strategies
In exceptionally general terms, there are three main techniques used. You must be agile enough to switch techniques almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you are able to achieve, to lock in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate strategy at the start of the match. You can build the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you can play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is then in big-time calamity since they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or higher checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It should be employed when you are significantly behind as this plan greatly improves your circumstances. The best areas for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for an effective backgame: after all, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to dismantle this right away, while your competitor is getting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other spare checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this case!
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