11.17
Backgammon – Three General Schemes
In extraordinarily general terms, there are three chief tactics employed. You need to be able to switch tactics instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you can achieve, to lock in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable strategy at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your competitor rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opposer is now in serious dire straits considering that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at a minimum two of your checkers.) It would be employed when you are decidedly behind as this action much improves your opportunities. The strongest locations for anchors are near your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, considering that you don’t have any other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your challenger gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!