Backgammon Tips Winning Backgammon Tips

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In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 main game plans used. You want to be able to hop between tactics quickly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to barricade in your competitor's checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable procedure at the start of the match. You can create the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This consists of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your competitor rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker 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 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is now in serious trouble since they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent's home board. (An anchor is a position filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be used when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The strongest places for anchors are close to your opponent's smaller points and either on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your challenger is getting their checkers home, because you do not have any other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!