Backgammon

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In very simple terms, there are three chief strategies used. You must be agile enough to switch strategies almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you are able to achieve, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable procedure at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This consists of locking your home board as fast as as you can 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 can play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is now in serious dire straits seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have 2 or more checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It would be employed when you are significantly behind as this strategy greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest locations for anchors are towards your competitor’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for an effective backgame: after all, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this right away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to attempt and get your challenger to get them in this situation!