Backgammon – Three Basic Schemes
In astonishingly general terms, there are three main techniques used. You need to be agile enough to hop between game plans almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you are able to achieve, to lock in the competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable procedure at the start of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your competitor rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is then in serious difficulty taking into account that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It needs to be employed when you are extremely behind as this action greatly improves your opportunities. The best locations for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your challenger is getting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have other extra checkers to shift! In this situation, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your challenger gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your challenger to get them in this case!