Backgammon Strategy Backgammon Strategy for Dummies

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In exceptionally simple terms, there are 3 general strategies used. You must be able to hop between strategies quickly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to barricade in the opponent's checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable procedure at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your opposer tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opposer is now in big-time trouble because they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or more pieces in your opponent's inner board. (An anchor is a point occupied by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be used when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The better locations for anchors are close to your competitor's smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is critical for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there's no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this right away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, seeing that you do not have any other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up till your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a great idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this case!