Backgammon – Three Main Schemes

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In astonishingly general terms, there are three main tactics used. You want to be able to switch tactics quickly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you might manage, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable procedure at the start of the match. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This consists of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your opposer rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is now in big-time calamity since they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or more anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It needs to be used when you are significantly behind as this plan much improves your chances. The best places for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this straight away, while your opposer is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other extra checkers to shift! In this situation, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position up till your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this situation!