Backgammon – Three Basic Techniques
In astonishingly general terms, there are three basic techniques employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between game plans quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to manage, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your challenger tosses an early two and moves one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is then in big-time trouble considering that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or higher pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It should be used when you are significantly behind as it much improves your chances. The better areas for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your competitor is getting their pieces home, considering that you do not have other spare checkers to shift! In this case, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up till your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this case!