Backgammon – 3 General Plans

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In extraordinarily general terms, there are three general game plans used. You must be able to hop between techniques almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to barricade in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is then in serious calamity since they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or more checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It should be used when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your chances. The better locations for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for a powerful backgame: besides, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, because you do not have any other extra pieces to shift! In this case, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this case!