Backgammon – 3 Main Techniques

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In astonishingly general terms, there are three basic strategies employed. You want to be agile enough to switch strategies almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to achieve, to barricade in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate tactic at the start of the match. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This consists of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your opposer rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your opponent is then in big-time calamity seeing that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or more pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least two of your checkers.) It should be used when you are significantly behind as this plan greatly improves your chances. The better locations for anchors are close to your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: after all, there’s no reason having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this right away, while your opposer is moving their checkers home, because you don’t have any other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position until your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this case!