Backgammon Advanced
Backgammon is a game like a race, however even if players are racing to win the game they still need to have strategies to keep ahead of the game. Strategies are anchoring, blocking and priming, communication, distribution, diversification and a lot more.
Backgammon is basically a race to determine which player wins the game. The first player to bear off all their checkers wins the game. Nevertheless, despite the fact that backgammon is like a race players still need strategies to be ahead of the game and eventually win it.
The following are different kinds of strategies that players must learn and understand.
1. Anchoring
Anchoring means that player establishes a point of defense or an anchor on his or her enemy's side of the board.
This gives the leading player a good landing spot to come in and conquer. If you are ever hit by your opponent you should be able to prevent it from making it to your opponent's side of the board.
Try to create an anchor at an early stage of the game, try to do 20, 21 points or higher.
However, if ever you get left behind the game your points 22, 23 and 24 will be more valuable as your strategy. You can create your home board and wait for the proper timing for a shot.
2. Priming and Blocking
If you are to create points do this with no gaps in between, do this directly in front of your opponent's checkers on your side of the board. This is to prevent your opponent's escape.
If you have six points in a row this is called a prime.
Your prime can make it impossible for your opponent to escape. Of course this is as long as you can maintain your prime. If you make a prime on your own home board you are making a blockade.
3. Communication
This is the process where players distribute their checkers so that they can keep within six pips of one another.
This process makes sure that the player's checker will be just near enough if they want to cover or if they need to rest at a point.
4. Distribution
Distribution shows how evenly a player spreads their checkers. It should be well divided among the necessary points that are being occupied.
It is normally better to have at least 3 checkers on two different location points rather that having 4 checkers on one point only.
If you have evenly distributed your checkers you will have flexible movement with your rolls and you can use this to your advantage.
5. Diversification
This is the strategy that players use to spread their checkers; this is done to increase their good rolls when it is their turn to throw the dice.
6. Duplication
This is the total opposite of the diversification, diversification is increasing the number of good rolls but duplication is decreasing the number of good rolls of your opponent.
