Backgammon – 3 Main Plans
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three basic techniques used. You want to be able to hop between strategies quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might achieve, to lock in your competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable tactic at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your opponent tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is then in serious trouble taking into account that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It should be employed when you are extremely behind as this plan greatly improves your circumstances. The strongest areas for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is essential for an effectual backgame: after all, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don’t have other spare pieces to shift! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up till your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opposer to get them in this case!