Over the years, backgammon has evolved into different variations. From the most basic that fits all age groups to highly complex ones which professional backgammon players find difficult to master. To use a chess analogy there are eight basic types of backgammon middle game (Different Backgammon Variations):
Running Game (or Race) : Of the eight by far the easiest is the running game and the easiest example of this is where both sides start by rolling 65 twice and run both their back checkers out to their mid-points – shown below. After this there will be no further contact between the two armies and the winner will be the side that rolls the highest numbers on the dice - This is a pure race .
High Anchor : A high anchor game is one where you have moved your back checkers at least as far as your mid-point whilst your opponent still holds either your 4pt, 5pt or bar point. An example of this is shown in the position below.
Mutual Holding Game : A mutual holding Backgammon game is one where both sides have a high anchor (a high anchor is one of three points, your opponent’s 4pt, 5pt or bar point). This position occurs after the sequence: Red 43: 24/20, 13/10; Black 66: 24/18(2), 13/7(2); Red 43: 24/20, 13/10.
Low Anchor : A low anchor game can occur in many different ways but is characterized by one player holding his opponent's 1,2 or 3 point whilst the opponent has escaped his back checkers. The position below is a typical low anchor game where black has escaped his back checkers and red is trapped on black’s ace point.
Blitz : The blitz is the most volatile of all the backgammon game types. A blitz is characterized by one player desperately trying to get an anchor in his opponent’s home board whilst his opponent does everything he can to prevent it. The position below is typical of the early stages of a blitz where red has split his checkers with a 52 played 13/8, 24/22 and black has replied with 55, played 8/3(2)*, 6/1(2)* putting two red checkers on the bar.
Prime versus Prime : Prime against prime are characterized by both players having one or more of his opponent’s checkers trapped behind a blockade of 4, 5 or 6 points. Prime vs. prime games require finely honed judgment and are amongst the most difficult of all game types to play. In a blitz, once you have embarked upon it, most of the moves are clear, in a prime v. prime each individual move will require much more thought of the right backgammon strategy. The position shown below is a typical prime vs. prime with both players having two checkers trapped behind 5-point primes.
Back Game : What is a back game? It is when you hold two or more points in your opponent’s home board, usually as a result of lots of blots being hit. Now an excellent piece of advice is to AVOID back games at all costs ! When they go well they are wonderful, but if you lose, then you are likely to lose either a gammon or a backgammon. The position below shows a typical back game where red is playing the back game by holding black’s 1-pt and 2-pt. As we shall see in future articles which two points you hold in your opponent’s home board are critical to the likely success, or not, of your back game. In fact this position is taken from one of the most famous back games ever played between Walter Cooke (black) and Jesse Sammis (red). By the time the backgammon game ended the doubling cube was on 32!! That story will be told another day.
Scramble : Last but not least comes the Scramble. This type of position normally occurs after one player has been hit whilst bearing off and is then trying to ‘scramble’ the hit checker back to the safety of his home board. Such a position is shown below where black is trying to scramble home his checker on red’s bar-point. |
