In extraordinarily general terms, there are three main tactics used. You must be able to hop between techniques almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you are able to manage, to barricade in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opposer rolls an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is then in serious calamity because they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or more anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least two of your pieces.) It should be played when you are decidedly behind as this action greatly improves your circumstances. The better locations for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: after all, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opponent is moving their pieces home, because you don’t have any other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a great idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!
April 8th, 2024
Makenzie
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