Backgammon Strategy Backgammon Strategy for Dummies

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In very general terms, there are three main strategies used. You want to be able to hop between strategies almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to block in the competitor's checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable procedure at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This consists of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your opponent rolls an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is then in big-time difficulty seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor's inner board. (An anchor is a point occupied by at least 2 of your checkers.) It must be used when you are extremely behind as this action much improves your circumstances. The better areas for anchor spots are near your competitor's smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: after all, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this right away, while your challenger is shifting their pieces home, considering that you don't have other spare checkers to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a good idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this situation!