Backgammon – Three Main Strategies
In astonishingly simple terms, there are three basic techniques employed. You must be agile enough to switch tactics quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might achieve, to barricade in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable course of action at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opponent tosses an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is now in big-time difficulty considering that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or more anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your chances. The strongest locations for anchors are near your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: besides, 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 up this straight away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other extra pieces to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a great idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!