Backgammon

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In astonishingly general terms, there are three chief strategies used. You want to be agile enough to switch strategies almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate tactic at the start of the match. You can build the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is now in serious dire straits considering that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or more anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It needs to be played when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest areas for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for a powerful backgame: besides, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your opponent is shifting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!