Backgammon – Three Main Strategies
In astonishingly simple terms, there are three basic game plans used. You must be able to switch strategies quickly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you might achieve, to block in the competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable procedure at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your opponent is then in big-time trouble considering that they have two checkers 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 competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It needs to be employed when you are extremely behind as it much improves your circumstances. The better places for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for a powerful backgame: besides, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your opponent is shifting their checkers home, considering that you do not have any other spare checkers to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a great idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this case!