03.13
Backgammon – 3 Basic Strategies
In astonishingly simple terms, there are 3 chief plans used. You need to be able to hop between strategies quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you can achieve, to block in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early two and shifts 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 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is now in big-time calamity seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or higher pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your chances. The strongest areas for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is essential for an effective backgame: besides, there is no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your opponent is getting their pieces home, because you do not have any other spare checkers to shift! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a great idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this case!