Backgammon – 3 General Plans
In very general terms, there are three fundamental strategies employed. You need to be agile enough to hop between techniques instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to lock in your opponent’s pieces 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 eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.
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 opposer tosses an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is then in big-time dire straits since 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 higher anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It would be used when you are significantly behind as it much improves your chances. The best places for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for a competent backgame: besides, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your opponent is shifting their checkers home, seeing that you do not have any other additional pieces to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a great idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this situation!
