10.01
Backgammon – Three General Schemes
In very simple terms, there are three chief strategies used. You must be agile enough to hop between strategies quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you are able to manage, to block in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your opponent tosses an early two and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is now in big-time calamity considering that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It must be played when you are significantly behind as this plan much improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchors are towards your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjoining points or with one point in between. Timing is essential for an effective backgame: besides, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, because you don’t have any other spare pieces to shift! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up until your challenger gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this case!
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