Backgammon – 3 Basic Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 06/27/2025 03:25 am by Zaire
In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 general strategies used. You want to be agile enough to hop between techniques quickly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you might manage, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your opposer rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time difficulty because they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have 2 or more anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It must be played when you are significantly behind as this plan much improves your opportunities. The best areas for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your challenger is getting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have other additional checkers to move! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this case!