Backgammon Strategy Backgammon Strategy for Dummies

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In astonishingly simple terms, there are three chief game plans employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between game plans instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you can achieve, to barricade in your competitor's pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your opponent rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is now in serious dire straits since they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your opponent's inner board. (An anchor is a point filled by at a minimum two of your checkers.) It would be used when you are extremely behind as it much improves your opportunities. The strongest areas for anchors are towards your competitor's lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: besides, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opposer is shifting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don't have any other additional pieces to move! In this situation, it's more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!