Backgammon – 3 Basic Strategies

Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In very simple terms, there are 3 main game plans employed. You must be agile enough to switch techniques quickly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you might manage, to barricade in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your competitor rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is now in serious calamity because they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or higher anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It needs to be employed when you are extremely behind as it much improves your circumstances. The best places for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for an effective backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to dismantle this right away, while your opposer is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have any other additional checkers to move! In this situation, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opponent gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opposer to get them in this case!