2017
07.14

As we have dicussed in the previous article, Backgammon is a casino game of talent and luck. The aim is to move your pieces safely around the board to your inside board and at the same time your opponent shifts their pieces toward their inner board in the opposite direction. With competing player pieces heading in opposing directions there is going to be conflict and the requirement for particular techniques at particular times. Here are the 2 final Backgammon techniques to round out your game.

The Priming Game Tactic

If the goal of the blocking strategy is to slow down the opponent to shift her pieces, the Priming Game strategy is to completely stop any movement of the opposing player by constructing a prime – ideally 6 points in a row. The competitor’s chips will either get bumped, or end up in a damaged position if she ever tries to leave the wall. The trap of the prime can be setup anyplace between point two and point 11 in your game board. As soon as you’ve successfully assembled the prime to stop the activity of the opponent, the opponent does not even get a chance to toss the dice, and you shift your pieces and toss the dice again. You will be a winner for sure.

The Back Game Plan

The aims of the Back Game technique and the Blocking Game strategy are similar – to hurt your opponent’s positions hoping to improve your odds of succeeding, however the Back Game plan uses seperate tactics to do that. The Back Game strategy is frequently used when you’re far behind your opponent. To compete in Backgammon with this tactic, you have to control 2 or more points in table, and to hit a blot late in the game. This strategy is more complex than others to use in Backgammon because it requires careful movement of your pieces and how the checkers are relocated is partially the outcome of the dice toss.

2017
07.14
[ English ]

In very general terms, there are 3 main strategies used. You want to be able to switch tactics almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to manage, to lock in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is then in serious difficulty taking into account that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or more anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It must be played when you are significantly behind as this strategy greatly improves your opportunities. The better locations for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s lower points and either on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: besides, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their checkers home, because you do not have other spare checkers to shift! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your competitor gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your challenger to get them in this case!