Backgammon

Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 general strategies used. You want to be agile enough to hop between game plans quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you can manage, to barricade in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the match. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your competitor tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your opposer is then in big-time difficulty because they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at least 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be used when you are significantly behind as this action greatly improves your circumstances. The better places for anchors are near your competitor’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, taking into account that you do not have any other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your challenger gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!