Backgammon Information

Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 chief tactics used. You must be agile enough to hop between tactics quickly as the action 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 are able to manage, to lock in your competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your opposer rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is now in big-time dire straits since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or more anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be employed when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your chances. The better locations for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: besides, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your competitor is getting their checkers home, considering that you don’t have other additional pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!