Backgammon – Three Basic Strategies

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In astonishingly simple terms, there are 3 basic techniques employed. You must be agile enough to hop between strategies instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you can achieve, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the start of the match. You can create the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your opposer rolls an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is then in serious calamity because they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a point occupied by at least 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be used when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The better locations for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is essential for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your challenger is getting their checkers home, because you don’t have other extra pieces to shift! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your challenger gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your challenger to get them in this case!