Backgammon – Three General Techniques
In astonishingly simple terms, there are three basic strategies used. You want to be agile enough to hop between techniques instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to achieve, to lock in the competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable strategy at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opposer is then in serious difficulty seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or more anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at least 2 of your checkers.) It should be played when you are extremely behind as it much improves your circumstances. The best areas 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 a competent backgame: besides, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your opposer is moving their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have other extra pieces to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this case!