Backgammon – Three Main Plans

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In exceptionally general terms, there are three chief strategies used. You must be agile enough to hop between strategies almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you might manage, to block in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate tactic at the start of the game. You can build the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This consists of locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your opposer rolls an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is then in serious dire straits considering that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or more anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least two of your pieces.) It must be used when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest areas for anchors are near your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, because you do not have any other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to attempt and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!