Backgammon – 3 Main Strategies

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In exceptionally simple terms, there are three basic tactics used. You need to be agile enough to hop between techniques instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to achieve, to barricade in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate tactic at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This consists of locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your challenger rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time calamity because they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or more checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position filled by at least 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be played when you are significantly behind as this action greatly improves your chances. The better areas for anchors are towards your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break down this straight away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you don’t have any other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!