Backgammon – Three General Techniques

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In very general terms, there are 3 main techniques used. You need to be able to hop between game plans quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable procedure at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This consists of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your competitor tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play six/one six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is then in big-time trouble because they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or higher pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It needs to be played when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The better locations for anchors are towards your opponent’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break down this right away, while your opponent is getting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don’t have other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!