Backgammon – Three Main Techniques
In very general terms, there are 3 fundamental strategies employed. You need to be able to hop between techniques quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you can achieve, to block in your opponent’s checkers 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 inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your competitor tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is now in serious dire straits taking into account that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It must be played when you are significantly behind as this action greatly improves your chances. The strongest locations for anchors are close to your competitor’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for a competent backgame: after all, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this right away, while your opposer is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!