Backgammon Strategy
Backgammon literally is a race. The first player to bear off all their checkers wins the game. However, you don't race without strategy first. You can't just roll the dice and go. There are strategies that you must learn first to take advantage of the game.
1. Anchoring
This is the type of strategy that establishes an anchor, which is the defensive point from your opponent's home board. This leaves players a spot to land, you can also prevent your opponent from making his checkers home at his home board.
At an early stage of the game allow yourself to establish an anchor on higher points such as 20 and 21. If you already have an anchor keep it on adjacent points.
2. Blocking and Priming
You can build points without the gaps between a blockade that is located directly in front of your opponent's checker that is in your home board, and as much as possible prevent your opponent's escape.
If you got 6 points in a row it is called a "prime". If you have a prime it will be impossible for your opponent to escape if he or she plans to thus you can keep your opponent captured as long as you retain your position.
If you have a six points in row it is also called "closed board".
3. Communication
Communication is the act of distributing the checkers so that your checker will be kept within six pips of one another. By this you can be sure that one checker will be near you if it needs a spot to rest.
4. Distribution
Distribution will determine how you evenly divide your checkers from the points that are occupied. It is normally better if you have 3 pieces of checker on every two separate points rather than having 4 pieces of checkers occupying 2 points with 2 checkers each.
Your checkers should not be seen on one point with 6 pieces of checkers. If you distribute your checkers well, you will have more flexibility to move than your opponent's advantage.
5. Diversification
This means players are spreading out their checkers to improve the number of good dice rolls for future turns.
6. Duplication
This is a technique for making your opponent's possible good rolls decrease. You can do this by placing your checker at desired spots of your opponent.
7. Exposure
This sometimes can be considered a good strategy; it leaves the blot in the game at an early stage so you can establish a strong defense or offense for that matter. Oftentimes, these blots are called slots as well.
8. Hitting
The most advance checker of your opponent should be hit by you. This is an attack strategy, but it should be done to your advantage only in a proper timing.
