Backgammon – 3 General Plans

In very general terms, there are three chief plans employed. You want to be able to switch strategies instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you are able to manage, to barricade in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate procedure at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opponent rolls an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your competitor is then in big-time calamity seeing that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or more anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It would be used when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break down this right away, while your competitor is shifting their checkers home, because you do not have other extra pieces to move! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position until your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this case!

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