Backgammon Strategy
Backgammon strategy is the general, long term plan for the game (as opposed to tactics, which include the short-term features of the game). Backgammon strategy, whether it is hitting the opponent's block, running for the bearoff, or blocking, is the leading objective of the backgammon player.
Backgammon strategy is the most important aspect of the game. Playing backgammon without any strategy and simply relying on lucky rolls misses the core of the game. Here you can find an introduction to the essential backgammon strategies also known as game plans.
The racing game is a basic and relatively easy backgammon strategy whereby the chief goal of the players is to run for the bearoff before their opponents. To succeed in this plan, a player must roll high combinations and run behind the defending checkers to his home board. In the racing game, pip counting is very useful and it helps in making the correct cube decisions.
Similar to the racing game, in a holding game both players are running for the bearoff, but with emphasize on holding a point in the opponent's outer board in order to hold up the opponent on his way home. The crucial points are between the bar point and the midpoint.
The attacking game, or blitz, is applied when the opponent's checkers get caught in the player's home board without an anchor. The player object is then to make consecutive points and keep the opponent closed on the bar. This backgammon strategy often fails; therefore it would be wiser to think of an alternative plan.
The opposite of the attacking game is the back game. The back game is played by the player who has caught least two points in the opponent's home board. The player's target would be to hit a shot and keep the hit checker closed in his home board. Timing is the most important feature in this game plan; it is not advisable to play back game when most of the player's checkers are piled on his ace and deuce points.
The priming game is a sophisticated game plan that adds tension to the game. If the player achieves a full prime the opponent's checkers get trapped in front of the prime until either player breaks the prime. In the priming game, the most important feature is timing.
More Backgammon Strategies
 |