Backgammon – 3 General Schemes
In astonishingly simple terms, there are three basic techniques used. You want to be agile enough to hop between tactics instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to barricade in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable course of action at the start of the game. You can create the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your opposer rolls an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is then in serious trouble taking into account that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or more checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It needs to be played when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The strongest areas for anchors are near your opponent’s lower points and either on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is crucial for an effective backgame: besides, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your challenger is moving their checkers home, considering that you do not have other extra checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a great idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this case!