Backgammon

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In astonishingly general terms, there are three main strategies used. You need to be agile enough to switch game plans almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to achieve, to barricade in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable tactic at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your opposer rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is now in big-time dire straits considering that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or more checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a point occupied by at a minimum two of your checkers.) It needs to be played when you are extremely behind as this strategy much improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchors are close to your competitor’s lower points and either on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: besides, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this right away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other additional pieces to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!