Backgammon – Three Basic Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 06/22/2025 07:25 am by Zaire
In extraordinarily general terms, there are three main tactics used. You want to be agile enough to hop between game plans quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you can achieve, to lock in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your opponent rolls an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is then in big-time difficulty due to the fact that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or more checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It must be used when you are significantly behind as it much improves your chances. The strongest places for anchors are close to your competitor’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: after all, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your opponent is moving their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other extra checkers to move! In this case, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!