Backgammon – Three Main Techniques

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In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 chief tactics used. You want to be able to hop between game plans quickly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you can achieve, to block in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable procedure at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle 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 opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opponent tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is now in serious calamity since they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or higher anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be employed when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your chances. The strongest areas for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your opponent is getting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other extra pieces to move! In this situation, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a great idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this case!