Backgammon – Three Main Schemes

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In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 fundamental techniques used. You need to be agile enough to hop between tactics instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you can achieve, to barricade in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your competitor tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is then in big-time calamity taking into account that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or more pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as this action much improves your chances. The best places for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for an effectual backgame: besides, there is no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your opposer is moving their pieces home, seeing that you do not have any other extra pieces to shift! In this case, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a great idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!