Backgammon – 3 Basic Plans

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In astonishingly simple terms, there are 3 basic game plans used. You must be agile enough to switch techniques instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you can achieve, to barricade in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate procedure at the start of the game. You can create the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your opponent tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is then in big-time dire straits seeing that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or higher pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It should be employed when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The better areas for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your opponent is shifting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don’t have any other extra pieces to shift! In this situation, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this case!