Backgammon – 3 General Techniques
In exceptionally simple terms, there are three main strategies employed. You need to be able to switch strategies instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to achieve, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate strategy at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is now in serious dire straits since they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a point filled by at a minimum two of your checkers.) It must be employed when you are extremely behind as this strategy greatly improves your chances. The better locations for anchors are close to your competitor’s lower points and either on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for a powerful backgame: besides, there is 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 opponent is getting their pieces home, considering that you don’t have any other spare checkers to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this situation!
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