More Backgammon Tips for Beginners
Assuming that you already know the basics of how to play backgammon, here are some more tips to improve your game.
1. Avoid having blots to avoid getting hit.
As you should know by now, a blot is that lone checker you have on a point. It is open to attack and is hit when the opponent lands on it.
You will have to move the checker to the bar after a hit. Not only does this delay your game in general, it also prevents you from making other advantageous moves because your next move is limited to bringing that checker back into the game.
Sometimes, though, you will be forced to make sacrifices. When there is no choice but to leave a blot, opt to do it on farther points because you lose more when those checkers closer to your 1 point are hit.
2. Slotting should be done only after weighing the risk.
Slotting is putting a single checker on a valuable point you want to cover, with the intention of later following it with another checker. In the meantime, the blot is vulnerable to being hit. This practice is risky and is done only for very strategic points.
It is also better to do slotting only in the early part of a game, as a tactical move. Experts advise that checkers should be consolidated in the endgame.
3. Maximize duplication of gaps for your blots.
If you have blots, leave the same number of points between your blots and the nearest opposing checker. The purpose of this duplication strategy is to narrow down the chances of your opponent throwing a number that will result in a hit. With only one number required to hit any of your blots, the probabilities are in your favor.
You can also do this when your opponent's checker is on the bar. Determine the number required for that checker to reenter the game and use that same number as the gap between your blot and the nearest opposing checker. If your opponent gets that number, it will have to be used to reenter the game instead of hitting your blot.
4. Maximize diversification of gaps between your own checkers.
Make sure that your checkers are distributed around the board with varying gaps between them. With a greater diversity of gaps, you get more chances of getting a good move with every throw of the dice.
Practice these tips in your next backgammon games until they become natural parts of your playing style.