How To Win At Backgammon Strategies to Beat Your Opponents

Backgammon is enjoying a massive surge in popularity at the moment, mainly because of the advent of internet play, where you can take on opponents from all over the world for real money. The game itself takes much practice to master, and knowing what sort of strategy to play in each situation can be one of the toughest things to judge.

Fortunately, the leading specialist backgammon websites all offer some sort of tuition or introduction into the game, and offer advice on the type of game that should be played to suit the situation. Naturally players will feel more confident with some strategies than others, although to become proficient in backgammon, it is necessary to be confident at utilising the tips detailed below.

Pip Count

Most novice players ignore the pips counter that many online backgammon servers provide (pips being the sum of the dice rolls needed in order to remove all pieces from the board). However players should take notice of the pip counter, and should adjust their game strategy accordingly, rather than go through the entire game with a predetermined strategy which depends on the luck of the dice.

'Running' Strategy

There are several different strategies at the disposal of the player. An 'open' or 'running' game involves moving the pieces in long jumps, which has the benefit of bringing pieces into your inner board quickly and bearing them off at an equally rapid pace, provided the strategy is successful. There are drawbacks - this can leave pieces in open positions for your opponent to attack - but if you have a lower pip count than your opponent then this is a good strategy to use. 'Blitzing' is a bit more extreme - an outright attack on your opponents' pieces, while blocking as many points in your home board as possible. The aim is to keep your opponent on the inner bar while you move towards your inner board.

'Holding Strategy'

Alternatively, players may choose to protect their pips, and stack them tall in order to ensure the opponent has little or no blots to hit. It is then possible to hit the opponent as he/she moves the pieces closer to home. Generally it is best to attempt this when the opponent is in command and has a lower pip count. The 'holding' strategy involves taking control of a point high in your opponent's board - this gives you a greater chance of hitting their pieces on the way past.

'Priming' Strategy

The 'Priming' strategy is a specific type of holding, in which you build a long wall of pieces on consecutive points, with the aim of blocking the opponents pieces that have yet to pass the wall. Should the wall be six points long, the opponent will be blocked until the prime is broken, and a player can advance the prime around the board until the bearing-off phase.

Overview

It is generally best to play the strategy you feel most comfortable with, based upon the game circumstances, and it is good practice to think ahead of each move. This helps you play your chosen strategy more successfully, as you are constantly thinking in line with this strategy. For example, if one of your pieces is left open and you are trying to hold, then it would be wise to think of ways to close the position in the next turn. While it is not possible to control the roll of the dice, thinking ahead helps to accommodate for luck, whether it is good or bad.

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