Backgammon – Three Basic Schemes
In extraordinarily general terms, there are three general techniques used. You must be agile enough to switch techniques almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to lock in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable tactic at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play 6/1 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is now in big-time difficulty taking into account 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 pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It would be used when you are significantly behind as this action greatly improves your chances. The strongest areas for anchors are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: after all, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your opposer is moving their pieces home, because you don’t have any other spare checkers to move! In this case, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position until your challenger gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opposer to get them in this situation!
