Mind the Spread

When playing backgammon, you are racing your opponent towards victory. Which one of you clears his or her pieces first is the victor. This may lead you to think only of moving your pieces as quickly towards your home territory as possible, but there are many other things you should consider when maneuvering your pieces. One of the most important amongst these is the spread.

The spread is how your pieces are arranged on the board. The spread is the gaps in between those pieces and the opportunities those gaps can give your opponent. If you are not careful with the arrangement of your spread, you will give your opponent and undo advantage, especially if he or she is planning on removing your pieces.

Ideally, you want to establish a spread that forces your opponent to move his or her pieces into disadvantageous positions. Ideally, you can then remove his or her checkers while still moving your pieces towards your home. You also want your spread to protect your vulnerable pieces, disallowing your opponent from removing them from the board.

Tightly grouped pieces make the best spread, defensively, but they also can hinder your forward movement. Open spreads, where your pieces are farther apart, allow you more freedom to move, but they also don't protect your vulnerable pieces as well. Choose the right spread for the right situation.