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Backgammon – Three Basic Techniques

[ English ]

In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 general techniques employed. You want to be agile enough to switch tactics quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to barricade in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable tactic at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This consists of closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your challenger tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is then in big-time trouble since they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at least 2 of your pieces.) It would be played when you are decidedly behind as this strategy greatly improves your chances. The better places for anchors are towards your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for a competent backgame: after all, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, because you don’t have any other extra pieces to move! In this situation, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this case!

Posted in Backgammon.


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