Backgammon All About Backgammon

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In exceptionally simple terms, there are 3 chief game plans employed. You need to be agile enough to hop between strategies instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you might achieve, to barricade in your opponent's pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This is comprised of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your competitor rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play 6/1 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is then in big-time difficulty seeing that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent's inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It must be employed when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your chances. The best locations for anchors are close to your opponent's lower points and either on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is crucial for an effective backgame: besides, there's no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this right away, while your opposer is moving their pieces home, taking into account that you don't have other additional pieces to shift! In this situation, it's more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this case!