Backgammon All About Backgammon

Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In very simple terms, there are 3 basic plans employed. You need to be able to hop between strategies almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you might manage, to lock in your opponent's checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This consists of closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your competitor rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you can play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is now in serious dire straits taking into account that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or more anchors in your competitor's inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It would be played when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchor spots are near your opponent's lower points and also on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is essential for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their pieces home, taking into account that you do not have any other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it's more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up till your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this case!