Backgammon – Three General Plans
In astonishingly simple terms, there are three chief techniques used. You need to be agile enough to switch game plans almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to block in the competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable course of action at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time calamity taking into account 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 opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point filled by at least two of your checkers.) It would be used when you are extremely behind as this action much improves your circumstances. The strongest places for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: besides, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this right away, while your opposer is moving their checkers home, seeing that you do not have any other additional pieces to move! In this case, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this situation!
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