Backgammon All About Backgammon

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In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 basic techniques used. You need to be agile enough to hop between strategies quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to block in your competitor's checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable tactic at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your competitor rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your competitor is now in serious dire straits taking into account that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or more checkers in your competitor's home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least two of your pieces.) It should be played when you are decidedly behind as this action greatly improves your opportunities. The best places for anchor spots are close to your opponent's lower points and either on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for an effective backgame: after all, there's no reason having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, because you do not have any other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it's more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this case!