Backgammon

Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In astonishingly simple terms, there are three basic game plans used. You want to be able to hop between tactics quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you are able to manage, to lock in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate strategy at the start 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 continues.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opponent tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is then in serious difficulty seeing that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be played when you are extremely behind as it much improves your chances. The better areas for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s lower points and also on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is crucial for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, taking into account that you do not have any other spare checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!