Backgammon Strategy Backgammon Strategy for Dummies

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In exceptionally general terms, there are three fundamental strategies used. You want to be agile enough to hop between techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you are able to manage, to lock in the 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 create the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your opposer is then in serious calamity taking into account that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor's inner board. (An anchor is a point filled by at least two of your checkers.) It would be employed when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The best locations for anchors are near your competitor's lower points and either on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is crucial for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there's no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, seeing that you don't have any other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!