10.16
Backgammon – 3 Main Techniques
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 fundamental strategies employed. You must be agile enough to switch tactics quickly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you are able to achieve, to block in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable strategy at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is then in big-time difficulty seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or more anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be played when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The strongest areas for anchors are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: after all, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you don’t have other extra checkers to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position until your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!
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