Backgammon – Three General Plans

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In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 general plans used. You must be agile enough to switch game plans quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you are able to manage, to barricade in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable tactic at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is now in serious dire straits because they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It should be used when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your chances. The better areas for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: besides, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your challenger is moving their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have any other spare checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this case!