Backgammon Strategy Backgammon Strategy for Dummies

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In very simple terms, there are three chief techniques employed. You want to be agile enough to switch techniques almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to achieve, to lock in your competitor's pieces 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 within your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your competitor tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your challenger 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 2 or more checkers in your opponent's home board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It must be used when you are significantly behind as this strategy much improves your chances. The strongest locations for anchor spots are towards your competitor's lower points and also on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is crucial for a powerful 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 break apart this straight away, while your opponent is moving their pieces home, because you don't have other spare checkers to shift! In this case, it's more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!