10.13
Backgammon – Three Basic Plans
In exceptionally simple terms, there are three fundamental game plans used. You want to be able to hop between strategies almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to barricade in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your opponent tosses an early two 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 8/3 eight/three. Your opponent is then in serious difficulty taking into account that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or more checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It needs to be played when you are extremely behind as this plan greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s lower points and either on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is essential for an effectual backgame: besides, there is no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your opposer is moving their checkers home, considering that you don’t have any other spare checkers to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your opponent gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your challenger to get them in this situation!