Backgammon – Three Main Strategies
In very simple terms, there are three general plans employed. You want to be able to hop between tactics quickly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to barricade in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your opponent rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time trouble since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or higher checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It must be played when you are extremely behind as it much improves your chances. The strongest locations for anchors are towards your opponent’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: besides, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your challenger is moving their checkers home, because you don’t have any other spare checkers to move! In this case, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!