Backgammon – Three Basic Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 09/14/2025 05:25 pm by Zaire
In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 fundamental tactics used. You want to be agile enough to hop between techniques instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you can manage, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your opposer rolls an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is then in serious dire straits since they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or more anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at least 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be played when you are extremely behind as this action much improves your circumstances. The better places for anchors are near your competitor’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: besides, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break apart this straight away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don’t have any other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a good idea to try and get your challenger to get them in this situation!