Backgammon – 3 General Plans

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In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 general plans employed. You must be able to hop between strategies instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to block in the opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate procedure at the start of the game. You can create the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your opponent rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time trouble considering that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or higher anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It should be played when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your chances. The best places for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: after all, there is no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opposer is shifting their pieces home, considering that you do not have any other extra pieces to move! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your competitor gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!