Backgammon

Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In astonishingly simple terms, there are three general plans used. You need to be agile enough to switch tactics instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to lock in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable strategy at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This consists of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is then in serious difficulty seeing that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It must be used when you are decidedly behind as this plan greatly improves your circumstances. The best locations for anchors are towards your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is crucial for a competent backgame: after all, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your competitor is getting their pieces home, considering that you don’t have any other additional checkers to shift! In this case, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this case!