Backgammon – 3 Basic Plans
In very general terms, there are three main game plans employed. You need to be agile enough to hop between tactics quickly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you can achieve, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable course of action at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your opponent rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your challenger is then in serious trouble due to the fact that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It would be played when you are extremely behind as it much improves your opportunities. The better areas for anchor spots are near your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: after all, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your competitor is shifting their checkers home, considering that you do not have any other additional checkers to move! In this case, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a great idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!