Backgammon – Three Basic Techniques

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In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 basic techniques used. You want to be able to switch techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to barricade in your competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate strategy at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is then in serious dire straits considering that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner 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 pieces.) It needs to be played when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The better places for anchors are close to your competitor’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for a powerful backgame: besides, there’s no reason having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break apart this right away, while your opposer is moving their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position until your competitor gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this case!