Backgammon Tactics for Beginners

Along the backgammon history the main objective of this game is to rescue all your chips. Although it may seem simple enough, it is more complicated to calculate what it will take to rescue them. You can not win unless you try to get some intermediate goals along the line, to occupy some key peaks.

In Chess, players can’t win if they have not managed to control some major squares. In Backgammon one needs to work to occupy a good position on the board, on which chips occupy peaks that will help both to defend and advance. The 5th peak is the key point of the opponent, or the golden peak. From here you will have an anchor on the blackboard outside your opponent. If you take it, it will be more difficult for your rival to introduce chips on the board, and, at the same time, you can block the entrance from the bar. If you hold this peak, in no rush to leave, you can usually stay there a long time. A good alternative is to occupy the peak 4 of your rival, 3 is not as good and 2 is not worth it. In your own side of the board, the most important peak is the 5th, followed in order of importance by the 7th to the 4th.

If you take these cells, you can begin to build an ambush that catches or hinders the movement of chips of your opponent, as well as the tabs you get to capture. On the other hand, you shouldn’t hold peaks 1, 2 and 3 too early. The chips placed there would not be very useful, especially at the middle of the game. If you can, try to hold a series of adjacent peaks, as this will hinder the move to of your opponent, that if there are spaces between the cells that controls you. If you build an ambush total of six peaks, your rival can not pass until you open it. Sometimes when the two players form ambushes, the winner of the battle is who can keep it longer. If you have to undo the ambush, start with the peak further from its territory. Placing a sheet in a single box that you hope to occupy (with at least two chips), is usually considered an acceptable risk, but not if your opponent can capture easily. Dividing your chips is a good idea at the beginning of the game, especially if you manage to occupy the peaks 5 and 4 of your rival. Place a loose sheet in this case, it is worth the risk. In addition, your rival will hesitate to take it down unless he/she can occupy the peak altogether.

Anyway, if you just took the card, you will not have lost much ground. Try to capture chips from your rival. The closer a chip is from house, the greater the loss if caught. It is also true in reverse: exposed chips away from home are not as serious. Try not to leave blots (exposed chips) unless catching them would be too dangerous for your rival. If you are forced to let loose, try not to be able to capture a direct fire. Otherwise, try to minimize the number of steps required to secure the chips, and once you are out of danger, you can build up a plan to compensate your eventual losses. In a quick tour game the game becomes essentially a race to see who manages to save his/her chips first, then must capture the opponent’s chips and try not to be captured. If two squares on your side of the board are occupied by your opponent, you can play a defensive game, in hopes that the opportunity to attack the opponent when the chips move closer to home. These basics apply when playing online backgammon as well. If you know the backgammon rules, with a slight of luck when throwing the dice, you can easily win the game without difficulties. Have fun and start playing this exciting board game!