Getting into the Backgammon Strategy
Backgammon originated in Persia where archaeological evidence at the Shahr-e Sūkhté archaeological site dates back over 5,000 years. Backgammon strategy originally laid the board out like a snake. This may have taken 4,000 years to morph into the familiar double-u shape that draws players back. It’s a challenge of wits, especially in Greece where opponents tease each other to create a lively atmosphere. However, there’s more to a winning backgammon strategy than meets the eye behind all this joviality. There are many game variations to backgammon. Today we have four simple tips to share.
Our 4 Backgammon Strategy Tips for Natural Winners
- Unlike poker, backgammon happens in the open, with the only concealed facts being the players’ private thoughts. Cheating is quite common where high stakes are involved. Players sometimes substitute a die with a loaded one so they can predict the fall. There is only one way to avoid this dishonest backgammon strategy. Purchase a quality backgammon set where the dice are perfectly balanced. However, you still need to be sharp when your opponent ‘accidentally’ rolls a die, which ends up out of sight where you can’t see the switch happen.
- Learn all you can about backgammon strategy variations that your opponent may not know well. Raise the stakes to tempt them into trying and then watch the chips come your way as they fluff. The Raccoon is one of our all-time favorites. A player redoubles the value right after they see their opponent double the cube.
- Follow an opening backgammon strategy you know well enough to reach the middle game swiftly. Ideally, you want to block your opponent in as many places as possible while romping ahead with your own pieces. When you are ahead in the game, you might be able to ‘stun’ your opponent into submission by incorporating rapid successive moves into your backgammon strategy. Do you remember the Greek aces we mentioned who play mind games with their opponents? A winning backgammon strategy controls the opposition’s thinking. When you breeze into a competition with a classy backgammon set, they may already be thinking, oh wow this person looks like an expert.
- The ‘priming game’ is another one of our favorite tricks. The idea is to build a wall of checkers covering consecutive points. When you have six in a row, you have that part of the board blocked while you continue moving forward. A blitzing backgammon strategy is a neat variation where you cover the entire home board with your pieces, so your opponent can’t break through.
Why Backgammon is a Game of Skill, Not Chance
In 1982, the State of Oregon tried to convince the courts that backgammon was a form of gambling. The potential stakes were great, since the game was enjoying a surge of popularity. A defense witness won the day when he said:
“Game theory, however, really applies to games with imperfect knowledge, where something is concealed, such as poker. Backgammon is not such a game. Everything is in front of you. The person who uses that information in the most effective manner will win.”
We would add, “Provided they use a professional backgammon set to prevent cheating, and a backgammon strategy they know well.”
Learn more about Aurosi here. Happy playing.
