Backgammon Strategy Backgammon Strategy for Dummies

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In very general terms, there are three main game plans employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between strategies quickly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you might manage, to lock in the competitor's pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable course of action at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This consists of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your challenger tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opposer is now in serious trouble because they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor's inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least two of your checkers.) It would be played when you are extremely behind as it much improves your circumstances. The better places for anchor spots are close to your opponent's smaller points and either on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your competitor is getting their checkers home, seeing that you don't have any other extra pieces to shift! In this case, it's better to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your competitor gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a good idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this case!