Backgammon Strategy Backgammon Strategy for Dummies

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In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 main game plans employed. You must be agile enough to hop between techniques almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to block in your opponent's checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable strategy at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your challenger rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your competitor is now in serious trouble seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your competitor's inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be employed when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The better places for anchor spots are towards your competitor's smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is important for a competent backgame: after all, there's no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, seeing that you don't have other extra pieces to shift! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this situation!