Backgammon – Three Main Schemes

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In astonishingly general terms, there are three general strategies employed. You need to be able to hop between strategies quickly as the course 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 lock in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your competitor rolls an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your challenger is then in serious dire straits because they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at least 2 of your pieces.) It must be played when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your chances. The best places for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with one point in between. Timing is essential for a competent backgame: after all, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your competitor is getting their checkers home, considering that you don’t have any other additional pieces to move! In this case, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this situation!