Backgammon Tips

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In very simple terms, there are three fundamental strategies used. You need to be able to hop between tactics quickly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you might achieve, to lock in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered 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 shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your opposer is then in big-time trouble due to the fact that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or more anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It needs to be employed when you are extremely behind as it much improves your opportunities. The best locations for anchors are near your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for an effective backgame: besides, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this right away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you don’t have any other spare pieces to shift! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this case!