Backgammon All About Backgammon

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In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 general game plans used. You must be agile enough to hop between strategies quickly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to manage, to block in the competitor's checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable strategy at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your challenger rolls an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is now in big-time dire straits seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your competitor's home board. (An anchor is a point filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be played when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The best places for anchors are towards your opponent's lower points and either on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for a powerful backgame: after all, there's no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your opposer is getting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don't have any other spare checkers to shift! In this case, it's more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your competitor gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a great idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this case!