Backgammon – Three General Strategies

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In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 main tactics used. You want to be able to hop between game plans quickly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you are able to achieve, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This consists of locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opponent rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is then in serious calamity due to the fact that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It must be employed when you are extremely behind as this plan much improves your chances. The best areas for anchors are towards your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: besides, there’s no reason having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break apart this right away, while your competitor is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you don’t have any other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your opponent gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a good idea to attempt and get your competitor to hit them in this case!