Backgammon

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In astonishingly simple terms, there are three main plans used. You must be able to hop between strategies quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you can manage, to lock in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate strategy at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your opposer rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is now in serious dire straits since they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or more pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The better areas for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: after all, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this right away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, seeing that you do not have any other additional checkers to move! In this case, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!