Backgammon – Three Basic Strategies
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three general strategies used. You need to be agile enough to hop between game plans instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to achieve, to barricade in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable tactic at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your challenger tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is now in serious dire straits taking into account that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It would be used when you are extremely behind as this action greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest locations for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for an effective backgame: besides, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your opponent is moving their pieces home, considering that you do not have any other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your competitor gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!
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