Backgammon – Three Main Strategies

Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In astonishingly simple terms, there are three general strategies employed. You need to be agile enough to switch techniques instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to block in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable tactic at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer rolls an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your competitor is now in serious calamity because they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or higher pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It should be played when you are significantly behind as this plan much improves your chances. The strongest locations for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for an effective backgame: besides, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break apart this straight away, while your opponent is shifting their pieces home, considering that you don’t have any other additional pieces to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a great idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!