Backgammon – 3 General Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 04/06/2026 01:25 am by Madisyn
In astonishingly general terms, there are three chief plans employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between tactics quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you can achieve, to block in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate course of action at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is then in big-time trouble because they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or higher anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It needs to be used when you are significantly behind as this strategy greatly improves your chances. The better locations for anchors are near your opponent’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break apart this right away, while your challenger is getting their pieces home, because you do not have any other extra checkers to move! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this situation!