Backgammon

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In very simple terms, there are three main plans employed. You need to be agile enough to hop between tactics almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable procedure at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is now in serious calamity seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at least 2 of your checkers.) It would be used when you are extremely behind as this strategy greatly improves your opportunities. The better locations for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your challenger is moving their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have other extra checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a great idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!