Backgammon Categories
Backgammon games can take various paths. These paths are divided
into the following categories.
Anchor
Anchor games are characterized by holding one point inside the
opponents board. In general, the more advanced your anchor, the
better for you. The reasons are simple: It is easier to escape and
harder for your opponent to build a prime in front of the anchor.
With an anchor you can always enter, when hit.
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Backgame
A back game is when you have at least two (deep) anchors made in
the opponents home board. Your opponent is bearing in and later
bearing off against these anchors, trying to avoid to get hit. If
he manages to get his men out you most likely will lose a gammon or
even backgammon. So in general, you should not try to play a back
game. Timing is a very important feature of every backgame,
enabling you to hold your prime on your side of the board.
On the other hand, well timed backgames often produce many
double shots and therefore many single wins for the player.
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Bear Off
In the bear off, both sides have there checkers in their home
board and are taking there men off. It is almost always right to
take a checker off whenever possible. More interesting are cube
decisions.
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Blitz
One of the best possible strategies leading to a gammon win is
the 'blitz'. Blitzes are games where you catch
your opponent off- balance and without an anchor. You hit him,
hopefully you hit one (or more) men and you keep on hitting.
Your goal is close him out. Without the anchor he
is having a desperate time just trying to enter on your board, and
when he enters you go on hitting him again even inside your board.
The ultimate aim of the blitz: your opponent ends up with his men
on the bar, and you have a closed inner board.
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End Game
In the end game normally one side is bearing off, trying to
avoid blots, while the other player still hangs around and waits
for getting a shot. When the shot is hit, one side has taken
checkers off, while the other has build his board or prime and now
tries to win from there.
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Holding
Holding games are typically characterized by holding an
advanced anchor or the bar point.
Often both sides hold anchors and are waiting for a double to get
home safely. The race is very important, when you consider checker
play or cube decisions.
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Middle Game
After the opening, the game can take many different paths. This
stage of the game, before the game falls into another category is
called middle game. Typically this is after the third move.
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Miscellaneous
Backgammon positions can sometimes be really crazy and not fall
into one of the well known categories. All positions that don't
fall into one of the other groups, you will find here.
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On the Bar
This category includes the positions, where you got hit when
your opponent had a closed or strong board. Depending on the race,
the number of checkers, that you already have taken off and the
strength of his board many interesting cube decisions come up.
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Opening 1st Move
All games start with the same position. So you should know what
the best moves are.
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Opening 2nd Move
The right replies to the opening are often not so easy find, but
because these positions arise so frequently you should study that
carefully.
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Opening 3rd Move
Compared to chess, the the number of positions for the third
move is already huge. Nonetheless it is very useful to know what
strategy you should follow. You will find some difficult moves with
big equity swings.
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Priming
Priming battles are probably the most complicated positions to
play. Every detail is very important and a faulty move can cost a
lot of equity.
Timing is of paramount importance. Normally you try to crack
your opponents prime before your prime cracks.
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Race
The race is on as soon as there is no contact anymore. If the
race is close you should try to reach a flexible position in your
home board. Checker plays are not so important, concentrate on
double and take decisions. The race turns into a bear off as soon
as you start taking checkers off.
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