Backgammon All About Backgammon

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In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 fundamental techniques used. You want to be able to switch techniques instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to barricade in your competitor's checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate procedure at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This is comprised of closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opponent rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is now in big-time difficulty since they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your opponent's inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It would be played when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The strongest locations for anchor spots are towards your opponent's smaller points and either on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is critical for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there's no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break down this right away, while your opposer is moving their checkers home, seeing that you do not have other extra pieces to move! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this case!