Backgammon Information

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In extraordinarily general terms, there are three main plans employed. You must be able to switch techniques quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to barricade in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your competitor rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opposer is then in serious calamity since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or more checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be used when you are significantly behind as it much improves your chances. The strongest areas for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is essential for an effectual backgame: besides, there is no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don’t have other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up till your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this case!