Backgammon – 3 Basic Techniques

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In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 fundamental tactics employed. You need to be able to hop between game plans almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you can manage, to barricade in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate strategy at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your opponent rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your opponent is then in serious difficulty since they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It must be used when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your opportunities. The strongest locations for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opponent is shifting their checkers home, taking into account that you do not have any other extra pieces to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up 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!