Backgammon – Three General Plans

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In exceptionally simple terms, there are 3 fundamental plans used. You want to be agile enough to hop between techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you can manage, to block in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your opponent rolls an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your competitor is then in big-time difficulty considering that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have 2 or more pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a point occupied by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your opportunities. The strongest areas for anchors are close to your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral 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 required to break down this right away, while your opposer is moving their pieces home, taking into account that you don’t have any other extra pieces to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a great idea to attempt and get your challenger to get them in this situation!