Backgammon – 3 Basic Plans
In astonishingly simple terms, there are three chief plans used. You need to be able to hop between tactics almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you can manage, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable tactic at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your opposer rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is then in big-time dire straits seeing that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are significantly behind as this strategy much improves your circumstances. The strongest areas for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for an effectual backgame: besides, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, owing to the fact that you don’t have any other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a great idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!