Backgammon

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In exceptionally general terms, there are three basic techniques used. You want to be agile enough to hop between strategies almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to lock in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate procedure at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game progresses.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your opposer is then in big-time difficulty considering that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or higher pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a point filled by at least two of your pieces.) It must be employed when you are significantly behind as this action greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest areas for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break apart this straight away, while your challenger is getting their checkers home, considering that you don’t have any other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your challenger to get them in this situation!