Backgammon All About Backgammon

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In exceptionally simple terms, there are three chief techniques used. You want to be able to hop between strategies almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to barricade in the competitor's pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your competitor tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is then in big-time trouble because they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or more anchors in your competitor's inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as this plan much improves your opportunities. The best locations for anchors are close to your competitor's smaller points and either on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete 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, owing to the fact that you don't have any other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it's more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your competitor gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this case!