Backgammon – 3 General Plans

Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three chief plans used. You want to be agile enough to hop between game plans quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you can manage, to barricade in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your challenger tosses an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is then in big-time difficulty since they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It needs to be played when you are extremely behind as it much improves your opportunities. The best locations for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with one point in between. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: besides, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, because you don’t have any other spare pieces to move! In this case, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a great idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this case!