If you are only starting to enjoy the game that has captured the thought of human beings for centuries, backgammon, you can probably benefit from a few tips that can help you improve your game and thus increase your chances of winning.
1. Have you paid any attention to how evenly your checkers are divided among the points occupied? This is called distribution. Generally, it is preferable to have three checkers each on two different points rather than four of your checkers on one and two on the other. You should rarely have six checkers on a single point and almost never have any more. If you manage to keep an even distribution you could be more flexible in your moves.
2. We know it can be scary at first, but there is no reason to be afraid to leave shots early in the game. This about it this way: you need to establish a strong offense or defense! Only when your opponent's home board gets stronger should you be more careful. If you are hit, the more points your opponent has in his/her home board, the more difficult it will be for you to re-enter.
3. Points without gaps between them are an advantage for you. You can trap your opponent's checkers in this way. Try to build these significant points as early as possible in a rough order of importance: five, four, and seven to build your barrier. If you manage to build six points in a row you have a prime. This makes it impossible for your opponent to escape for as long as you can maintain your prime.
4. Try to build a defensive point in your opponent's home board. This is called anchoring. Anchoring gives you a landing spot to come in on when you get hit, and also prevents your opponent from establishing his/her home board. At the beginning of the game try to create as many anchors as possible on the higher points (twenty and twenty-one). If you become significantly behind in the race, the lower points (twenty two, twenty three and twenty four) will be more valuable as your strategy will be to build your home board and wait for a chance. If you have two anchors try to keep them on adjacent points.
5. Hitting your opponent's checkers always seems tempting, but it is more important to hit the most advanced or the checkers that your opponent would like to cover to establish an important point. Think before you hit, and only do so when it is worthwhile. For instance, if two checkers of your opponent are already on the bar, it is more vital to make another point in your home board than to hit a third checker. In addition, do not hit if it puts you at risk.
How To Play Backgammon
12-07-2006, 02:06 PM
Backgammon for Beginners.
Linear Mode
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