Backgammon – Three General Schemes

In astonishingly simple terms, there are three chief techniques employed. You need to be able to hop between game plans almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you might achieve, to barricade in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your challenger tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is then in big-time trouble taking into account that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be employed when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your chances. The best locations for anchors are towards your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this right away, while your opponent is shifting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have other extra checkers to move! In this situation, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!

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