06.16
Backgammon – Three Basic Strategies
In very simple terms, there are 3 fundamental strategies employed. You must be agile enough to hop between techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the start of the game. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your opponent tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is now in serious difficulty considering that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or higher checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position filled by at least 2 of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are extremely behind as this action much improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: after all, there is no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, because you don’t have any other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opposer to get them in this case!