Backgammon – 3 General Techniques
In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 basic game plans employed. You must be agile enough to switch tactics quickly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you are able to achieve, to lock in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate strategy at the start of the game. You can create the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your opponent rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is now in big-time difficulty considering that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at least 2 of your pieces.) It should be used when you are decidedly behind as this plan greatly improves your opportunities. The better places for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: besides, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your challenger is getting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don’t have other additional checkers to move! In this situation, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!
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