Backgammon – 3 General Schemes
In astonishingly simple terms, there are 3 basic plans used. You want to be agile enough to hop between game plans almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you are able to manage, to barricade in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate procedure at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is now in serious difficulty considering that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or higher pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position filled by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be played when you are significantly behind as it much improves your opportunities. The better places for anchors are towards your opponent’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason 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 moving their pieces home, seeing that you do not have any other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opposer to get them in this case!