Backgammon Strategies

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In astonishingly simple terms, there are 3 fundamental plans employed. You want to be able to switch strategies almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you might manage, to lock in the competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This consists of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your opposer tosses an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is then in big-time difficulty considering that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner 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 2 of your pieces.) It should be employed when you are extremely behind as this plan greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest areas for anchor spots are near your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, seeing that you don’t have other extra checkers to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this situation!