Backgammon – 3 General Schemes
In extraordinarily general terms, there are three general tactics employed. You need to be able to switch game plans almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you might manage, to block in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your challenger rolls an early two and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in serious dire straits since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or more pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It should be played when you are decidedly behind as this strategy much improves your chances. The best places for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is important for a competent backgame: after all, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your challenger is getting their checkers home, taking into account that you don’t have other spare checkers to move! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opposer to get them in this case!
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.
