Backgammon Tips

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In astonishingly general terms, there are three fundamental game plans used. You need to be able to hop between techniques quickly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you are able to achieve, to block in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable course of action at the start of the match. You can build the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is comprised of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your challenger tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-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 competitor is now in serious trouble because they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be played when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your circumstances. The better areas for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with one point in between. Timing is essential for a competent backgame: besides, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your opposer is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you do not have any other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a great idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!