Backgammon Secrets

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In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three chief tactics employed. You must be able to switch game plans quickly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to barricade in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable course of action at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your opponent rolls an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is now in serious dire straits since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or higher checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a point filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as it much improves your chances. The strongest locations for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with one point in between. Timing is critical for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this right away, while your opposer is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have any other spare checkers to shift! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a great idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!