Backgammon – Three Main Strategies
Posted in Backgammon on 02/25/2025 10:25 am by Zaire
In extraordinarily general terms, there are three fundamental strategies employed. You want to be agile enough to switch tactics almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you can achieve, to block in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable procedure at the start of the game. You can create the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your challenger tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is then in serious calamity because they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It must be used when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The best areas for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: after all, there’s no reason having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your opposer is getting their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have other extra pieces to shift! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your competitor gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a great idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this situation!