Backgammon – 3 Main Plans
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three general plans employed. You must be agile enough to switch tactics instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you can achieve, to lock in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate tactic at the start of the game. You can build 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 is composed of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is then in serious difficulty since they have 2 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 anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be used when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your circumstances. The better places for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is critical for an effectual backgame: after all, there’s no reason having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your opposer is shifting their checkers home, taking into account that you don’t have any other additional pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up till your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a great idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this case!