Backgammon – Three General Schemes
In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 general plans employed. You want to be able to switch techniques quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you might achieve, to lock in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate procedure at the start of the match. You can create the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your opponent rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your challenger is then in serious trouble because they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have 2 or more checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be played when you are extremely behind as this plan much improves your opportunities. The better places for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break down this straight away, while your challenger is moving their checkers home, considering that you do not have other spare checkers to move! In this case, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this situation!