Backgammon All About Backgammon

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In extraordinarily general terms, there are three general strategies employed. You need to be able to hop between game plans instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to achieve, to lock in the competitor's checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the start of the match. You can build the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is now in big-time calamity considering 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 two or more checkers in your competitor's home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be used when you are decidedly behind as this action greatly improves your opportunities. The best locations for anchors are near your competitor's smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this right away, while your opposer is shifting their pieces home, considering that you do not have any other additional checkers to shift! In this case, it's more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a great idea to try and get your challenger to get them in this situation!