Backgammon – Three General Plans

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In very simple terms, there are three main plans employed. You need to be able to switch tactics instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to block in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate procedure at the start of the match. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer rolls an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your challenger is now in big-time difficulty since they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It must be used when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your chances. The strongest locations for anchors are near your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their pieces home, because you do not have other additional checkers to shift! In this situation, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a good idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!