Backgammon All About Backgammon

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In very general terms, there are 3 main tactics employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between techniques quickly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you are able to manage, to block in the opponent's pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable strategy at the start of the game. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This consists of locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your challenger rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is now in big-time dire straits since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent's home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be played when you are significantly behind as this action greatly improves your chances. The strongest locations for anchor spots are near your competitor's lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is essential for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, considering that you don't have any other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it's more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up till your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to attempt and get your challenger to get them in this case!