Winning the Backgammon Straight Race

admin · Site Admin Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 862

Moving your checkers around the board in the backgammon straight race calls for a high level of concentration. It is also a battle of wits because regardless of how quickly you move your checkers, you still need to keep a watchful eye on your opponent who will be trying to trap you. You will also be trying to hit his checkers and slow his progress around the board.

You can help yourself win the backgammon straight race by asking yourself some of the following questions. How does your opponent typically use the board? Does he know how to play the opening rolls to his advantage and which points does he aim for first? Does he use an offensive or defensive strategy early in the game? Is he confident and accustomed to using the doubling cube to increase the wager on the game? Understanding your opponent and the way he thinks can give you a valuable insight into his game plan. This will help you slow him down during the backgammon straight race.

This is where employing a priming strategy can assist. A priming strategy involves building a wall of checkers that cover at least six points on the board. If you have checkers posted at strategic points, you will make it difficult for your opponent to move his checkers quickly around the board. You can also try to close off your home board, which will prevent him from bearing off at the end of the backgammon straight race. Building anchors and attempting to hit as many of your opponent's checkers as possible will slow him down and can gain you valuable time in the last stages of the game.