Backgammon

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In very simple terms, there are three chief strategies employed. You need to be able to hop between techniques quickly 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 opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable procedure at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your challenger tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your competitor is now in big-time trouble since they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or more pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It would be employed when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest areas for anchors are towards your opponent’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for an effective backgame: after all, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this right away, while your opponent is shifting their pieces home, taking into account that you don’t have any other additional checkers to move! In this case, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your opponent gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this situation!