Backgammon – Three General Techniques
In exceptionally general terms, there are three chief plans employed. You must be agile enough to hop between strategies instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your opponent tosses an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is now in serious calamity taking into account that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It should be played when you are significantly behind as this strategy much improves your circumstances. The strongest locations for anchors are near your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for an effectual backgame: besides, there’s no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, taking into account that you do not have other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!