Backgammon – 3 Basic Strategies

Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In very general terms, there are three fundamental plans used. You need to be agile enough to hop between strategies almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you might manage, to barricade in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your competitor tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is now in big-time difficulty seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or higher pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position filled by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It should be played when you are significantly behind as it much improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for an effectual backgame: besides, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, seeing that you don’t have other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this case!