Backgammon – 3 General Schemes
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three fundamental tactics used. You must be able to hop between strategies almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to manage, to barricade in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate procedure at the start of the game. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your opponent tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opposer is then in serious dire straits seeing that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or more anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point occupied by at least 2 of your checkers.) It should be played when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your opportunities. The best locations for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is critical for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your opposer is shifting their checkers home, considering that you don’t have any other extra checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your opponent gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this case!
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