Backgammon – Three Basic Strategies
Posted in Backgammon on 09/10/2025 05:25 am by MadisynIn very general terms, there are 3 fundamental strategies employed. You want to be agile enough to switch game plans almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to barricade in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable procedure at the start of the match. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your competitor rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is then in serious difficulty taking into account that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or more anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest areas for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is crucial for a competent backgame: besides, there is no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your opposer is moving their pieces home, because you don’t have any other spare pieces to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this case!