Backgammon – 3 Basic Plans

In very simple terms, there are three basic tactics used. You must be agile enough to switch game plans quickly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to manage, to block in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate course of action at the start of the match. You can build the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece 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 8/3. Your competitor is then in big-time dire straits seeing that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be used when you are extremely behind as it much improves your opportunities. The best places for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for an effective backgame: besides, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this right away, while your challenger is shifting their pieces home, considering that you do not have other additional pieces to move! In this case, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!

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