Backgammon

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In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 basic tactics employed. You must be agile enough to hop between game plans almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you are able to manage, to lock in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This consists of closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your challenger rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play 6/1 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your challenger is now in serious difficulty due to the fact that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or higher checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a point filled by at a minimum two of your checkers.) It would be used when you are extremely behind as this plan much improves your opportunities. The strongest locations for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for a competent backgame: besides, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their checkers home, because you do not have other extra checkers to move! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a great idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!