Backgammon – Three Basic Strategies


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In very general terms, there are three fundamental game plans used. You need to be agile enough to hop between tactics almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you can achieve, to barricade in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable course of action at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is now in serious difficulty because they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It would be used when you are extremely behind as this action much improves your opportunities. The better areas for anchors are near your competitor’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for a competent backgame: besides, there is no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, because you don’t have any other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your opponent gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a great idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!

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