Trapping Style: The Backgame

When you ask beginners if getting hit a lot is a bad situation to begin with, most of them will say yes. Look again, getting hit is a big part of a strategy called a backgame. It's a wily style of playing the game. And players who are not aware how a backgame works will be caught by surprise when they find themselves caught in this devious trap.

What are the characteristics that we can use to identify a backgame? One prominent characteristic of a backgame would be the presence of anchors on the opposing home board. One or two (or even more) anchors would be present. But this is not uncommon; other strategies also use home board anchors.

Another characteristic we may consider is the presence of a prime in that traps the opponent's anchors. More often than not the player with the anchors is way behind in the pip count. Most likely the only contact the checkers from both sides have would be the anchors and the prime.

Who can we say is in a better position, the player with the prime or the player with the anchors? Most players would perhaps say the player with the prime is in a better position. That is the most obvious and honest opinion any player can say.

The truth is the player with the anchors isn't really in a really pretty bad situation. The player with the anchors when playing a backgame is still very much in the game. So don't count him out yet. Chances are he's got his trap laid out perfectly.

Remember that only one player can do a backgame in a single backgammon match. There are a lot of players who do not favor the backgame. The players who do often would have a more strategical understanding.

In a backgame, the player with the prime would most likely want to keep his prime going until he bears off. That player will be play safe and not expose his checkers to attack. The player with the anchors will sit back and wait for a chance to strike. All the time he would be setting up his own home board.

When a hit is made the advantage shifts to the trailing player. The checker that was hit will likely stay at the bar or its movement will be deterred due to the strategic position of the opponent's checkers.

Novices and beginners should be aware that there are many experienced players who love to use this strategy. Often these would play a good backgame making the unsuspecting beginner think he is winning. Only to find that whatever advantage he thought he had will vaporize in just a few turns.

The backgame turns out as a playing style that lays a trap for the opponent. A player should know the fundamentals of this strategy to suspect the trap coming and avoid getting in this situation.

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