Backgammon – 3 General Techniques
In very general terms, there are three basic game plans employed. You want to be able to switch tactics almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you might achieve, to lock in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable strategy at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your opposer tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you can play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opposer is then in serious dire straits taking into account that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It would be employed when you are significantly behind as this strategy much improves your chances. The strongest places for anchors are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this right away, while your challenger is getting their pieces home, considering that you do not have other extra checkers to move! In this situation, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up till your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a great idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this situation!