Backgammon – 3 Main Techniques
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three general techniques employed. You must be agile enough to hop between game plans almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to barricade in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable procedure at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opponent rolls an early 2 and moves 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 opponent is then in big-time difficulty taking into account that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be played when you are significantly behind as this strategy greatly improves your chances. The best places for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is critical for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your opposer is getting their pieces home, because you do not have other additional pieces to move! In this case, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position up till your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this case!