Backgammon – Three Basic Strategies
In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three main strategies employed. You must be able to hop between tactics quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to lock in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable procedure at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is now in serious calamity taking into account that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It must be used when you are significantly behind as this strategy greatly improves your circumstances. The strongest areas for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and either on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your opponent is moving their pieces home, because you do not have any other extra checkers to shift! In this situation, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to attempt and get your competitor to hit them in this case!