Backgammon – 3 Basic Strategies

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In extraordinarily general terms, there are three main strategies employed. You need to be able to switch game plans instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to block in the competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate strategy at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anywhere within 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 possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your opposer rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opposer is then in serious dire straits seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or higher pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be employed when you are significantly behind as this action greatly improves your circumstances. The better areas for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is critical for an effectual backgame: besides, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break down this straight away, while your challenger is moving their pieces home, taking into account that you don’t have any other spare pieces to shift! In this case, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your competitor gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!