Backgammon – Three Basic Techniques


[ English ]

In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 basic tactics employed. You want to be able to hop between game plans instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you can achieve, to block in your competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable tactic at the start of the game. You can create the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is now in serious difficulty seeing that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point filled by at a minimum two of your checkers.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as it much improves your chances. The strongest places for anchors are towards your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is crucial for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, 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 down this straight away, while your opposer is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have other extra pieces to shift! In this case, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your competitor 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!

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