Backgammon – Three Basic Techniques

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In extraordinarily general terms, there are three main tactics employed. You must be able to hop between strategies instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to lock in your competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable course of action at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game progresses.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your opponent rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is then in serious dire straits since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It needs to be used when you are extremely behind as this plan greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest areas for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your opposer is moving their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have any other additional pieces to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a great idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!