Backgammon – 3 Main Strategies
In extraordinarily general terms, there are three general game plans employed. You want to be agile enough to switch techniques instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable procedure at the start of the match. You can create the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is then in big-time dire straits considering that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or more pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It must be employed when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your chances. The better places for anchors are near your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is essential for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your opponent is getting their pieces home, taking into account that you do not have any other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this case!