Backgammon All About Backgammon

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In very simple terms, there are three basic game plans used. You must be agile enough to switch techniques almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you can manage, to lock in your opponent's pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your competitor rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your challenger is now in big-time calamity considering that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent's home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It must be used when you are extremely behind as this strategy much improves your circumstances. The better areas for anchor spots are near your competitor's lower points and also on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: besides, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this right away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, seeing that you don't have any other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it's more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this situation!