Backgammon is a game based on skills. You have to practice a lot to develop your skills in order to become a good Backgammon player. Increasing your chances of winning at backgammon requires some good backgammon strategy and tactics. Your goal in backgammon is to find a way to get your pieces around the game board and bear them off before your adversary does the same thing. There are five or more backgammon strategies available for backgammon, the one you choose is dictated by the roll of the dice and the strategy your opponent chooses to use in his game.
The Running Game.
The basic idea of this backgammon strategy is to bring all your checkers into your inner board and bear all of them as rapidly as possible. This is a race against time. You should choose this strategy when your opponent has much more pips that you. Your checkers should already be past your opponent’s checkers to choose the running game strategy. Before you adopt this strategy it is really important to evaluate the position of your pieces and if the strategy is in your advantage. In case your have much more pips till bearing off than your enemy does, this strategy will clearly not be in your advantage.
The Holding Game.
The basic idea of this backgammon strategy is to keep a point from your opponent’s board in you’re your control. The point should be somewhere in his inner board or if you can, it is also good to take control over the bar point. This is considered by many backgammon players a style to play not a game strategy. You must know that the bar points make the best anchors, because they give you the chance to hit your opponent more often than other ones. If you use this strategy is very important to know when to double the stakes.
The Priming Game.
This backgammon strategy is a kind of a holding game. The difference is that you have to build a prime to block your enemy’s movements. A prime is a wall built from your checkers. The ideal prime consists of six points in a raw. Your opponent’s checkers will be immobilized behind that wall, while you calmly make your movements. The other player will be trapped until you keep the prime, giving you just the right time to advance and ensure your win. You can build a prime anywhere you want between points 2 and 11 in your part of the backgammon board.
The game gets pretty intensive if both you and your enemy are using the same backgammon strategy. In case he also has a prime always get the checkers to a point where they can escape quickly. For example, you can get out with a 6 if the prime of the other players is made only by five points in a raw. If it is made by six points, you just have to wait because there is no way out from behind that wall.
The Blitz Strategy.
This is actually a constant attack on your enemy’s checkers. You should hit him every time you have the chance; keep him on the bar as long as possible, while you get your checkers around the game board and safe in your home. Try to occupy all six points from your home while he is on the bar and start to bear off your checkers. This is good backgammon strategy as there is no way he will get back in the game in time to have a chance to win.
Backgammon Strategies