Backgammon – Three Basic Schemes

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In astonishingly simple terms, there are 3 basic game plans used. You need to be agile enough to hop between game plans almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to block in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable tactic at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is now in serious difficulty seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or more pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as this plan greatly improves your chances. The better places for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is crucial for a competent backgame: besides, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their pieces home, because you do not have any other extra pieces to move! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this case!