Backgammon All About Backgammon

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In very general terms, there are 3 main game plans employed. You need to be agile enough to switch game plans almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you can achieve, to lock in your competitor's checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable procedure at the start of the match. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your challenger tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is then in serious trouble taking into account that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or higher checkers in your opponent's home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It would be used when you are extremely behind as this plan much improves your circumstances. The strongest locations for anchors are near your competitor's smaller points and also on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there's no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their checkers home, considering that you don't have other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it's more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your competitor gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!