Backgammon All About Backgammon

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In very general terms, there are three chief plans used. You want to be able to hop between tactics quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you can manage, to barricade in your opponent's checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your opposer rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is then in serious difficulty considering that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor's inner board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at least two of your checkers.) It would be used when you are extremely behind as this action greatly improves your circumstances. The better places for anchor spots are near your competitor's smaller points and either on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for an effective backgame: after all, there's no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break down this straight away, while your opponent is getting their checkers home, seeing that you don't have other extra pieces to shift! In this situation, it's more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this situation!