Backgammon

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In astonishingly general terms, there are three chief strategies used. You must be able to switch techniques instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to block in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate procedure at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace within 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 quick as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opposer rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is now in serious dire straits seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position filled by at least 2 of your checkers.) It should be played when you are extremely behind as this action much improves your opportunities. The best places for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and either on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, because you do not have any other additional checkers to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this case!