Backgammon – Three Basic Strategies

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In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three basic strategies employed. You must be agile enough to hop between game plans instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you might achieve, to block in the competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate strategy at the start of the game. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opponent tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your challenger is now in big-time difficulty since they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or higher checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It should be employed when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The better places for anchors are near your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is crucial for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your opposer is shifting their pieces home, because you don’t have any other additional pieces to shift! In this situation, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this case!