Backgammon Secrets

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In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three general strategies employed. You need to be able to hop between strategies almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you might manage, to barricade in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your challenger rolls an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is now in big-time calamity since they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or higher checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It should be employed when you are decidedly behind as this action much improves your chances. The strongest places for anchors are close to your competitor’s lower points and either on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your competitor is getting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have other spare pieces to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this case!