Split-and-Build Plays in a Backgammon Game
Deciding on an overall strategy is a good way to start off a backgammon game. But incorporating that strategy largely depends on how players move their checkers on a roll. A basic tactic in setting up these overall strategies is a split-and-build play that not only allows one to cover pips but also sets up prospective closed points early on in a backgammon game. Specifically, these plays incorporate two moves from a dice throw. These include splitting a back checker and moving down a builder. Here are a couple of opening rolls that make effective split-and-build plays in a backgammon game.
A well-known split-and-built play in a backgammon game is made with an opening roll of four-one. A back checker is split and moved a pip down to the 23-point and a mid-point builder is brought four pips down to the nine-point.
By splitting your back checkers this way, your opponent won't be too keen on slotting on their home quadrant this early for fear of being hit. It's a good start for making an advanced anchor too.
Slotting a builder down to the nine-point has many possibilities of making precious points because of its distance from the rest of the mid-point checkers. That means more rolls can make the nine-point and even an inner board point that would deter opposing back checkers from escaping safely.
An opening roll of three-two is another combination that allows an effective split-and-build play in a backgammon game. It involves splitting a back checker down three pips to the 21-point and bringing a builder down two pips to the 11-point.
Splitting to the 21-point allows the possibility of making an advanced anchor on your opponent's home board too. And moving a builder down to the 11-point is advantageous because it has good potential to help make a point on the next roll. Also, it's far enough from opposing back checkers that there's little risk of it being hit and sent to the bar.
Split-and-build plays permit a good balance of checker movements on both sides of the board. And a couple of effective split-and-build plays at the start of a backgammon game are made with four-one and three-two opening rolls. The former is carried out by slotting on the 23-point and nine-point while the latter involves slotting on the 21-point and 11-point. These checker plays help a player develop their board advantage by setting up a potential advanced anchor and valuable point-making positions on their side of the board as well.