Backgammon – Three Main Plans

In astonishingly simple terms, there are three basic tactics employed. You want to be agile enough to switch strategies quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you can achieve, to block in the opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable course of action at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This consists of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your opposer tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is then in serious difficulty seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or higher checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position filled by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It would be used when you are significantly behind as it much improves your circumstances. The better locations for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is crucial for an effectual backgame: after all, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your opponent is moving their pieces home, because you don’t have any other spare checkers to shift! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a great idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this case!

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