Backgammon – Three Main Techniques

[ English ]

In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 chief plans used. You need to be agile enough to switch techniques instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you can manage, to lock in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable procedure at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your competitor rolls an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your challenger is then in big-time calamity considering that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It should be played when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your circumstances. The best locations for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for an effective backgame: besides, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break apart this straight away, while your opposer is moving their pieces home, taking into account that you don’t have other extra pieces to move! In this case, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this case!