Backgammon Secrets

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In exceptionally simple terms, there are three main plans employed. You need to be agile enough to hop between techniques quickly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you might achieve, to lock in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your opponent is then in big-time difficulty seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or more checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be used when you are significantly behind as this strategy greatly improves your opportunities. The best places for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: after all, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this right away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, taking into account that you don’t have other additional pieces to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this case!