Backgammon Hitting Factors
Hitting your opponent in a backgammon game entails landing on his blot (single checker on a point) and sending that checker to the bar. For the opponent to continue in the backgammon game, he needs to remove the checker from the bar and bring it back into the board.
Many game experts suggest that, when in doubt, you should choose to hit, as this strategy is a good one. However, there are several factors that you could (and should) take into account before deciding to hit your opponent’s checker, as even a good strategy has its consequences, and they might not always be in your favor. Therefore, you should ask yourself the following questions before hitting:
Where is the Opponent’s Checkers Located?
If you are thinking of hitting a checker on the board, your best bet would be to go for the checkers that are as far back on the board as possible. These would be the checkers that are the furthest from your home board. The logic behind this decision is based on the fact that are taking the opponent even further back on the board. Also, you are less likely to be hit yourself following your hit.
Can I Hit Two Checkers?
Obviously, if you can hit two checkers, it is considerably better than hitting only one. Experts thus suggest that players hit two or more blots whenever they can in a game of backgammon. This puts the opponent at a serious disadvantage in the game and you, as the hitter, get the added bonus of gaining more pips over the opponent.
Is the Opponent’s Checker Strategically Placed?
Besides the obvious advantage of sending the opponent’s checker to the bar and thus giving yourself a lead in the game, why not make the very most of your hit? Try and ensure that the checker that you are hitting is strategically placed on the backgammon board so that you get to take up a good, strong position. By occupying a strong position on the board, your opportunities to create a blocking row, for instance, increase remarkably.
Should I Hit or Should I Make a Point?
When you are faced with the option of either hitting the opponent or creating a new point on the backgammon board with two or more of your checkers, experts agree that your choice should be to hit the opponent. This is simply because in most cases, hitting proves to be a better strategy in the long run. An exception to this rule of thumb is when you are able to create a very strategic point on the board with the two checkers. In that case, when the advantages of owning that point are obvious, it would be better to create a new point.
Deciding whether to hit or not is one of the more simpler strategies in a game of backgammon, simply because the odds are in your favor when choosing it. However, it is good to know what to look out for and which questions to ask in order to increase your chances of winning the backgammon game.
