Archive for May 28th, 2026

Backgammon – 3 Basic Techniques

Posted in Backgammon on 05/28/2026 09:25 am by Jillian

In very general terms, there are three main plans used. You want to be agile enough to hop between strategies quickly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might achieve, to lock in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable strategy at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your opponent rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opposer is then in big-time difficulty considering that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or more pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be played when you are significantly behind as this action much improves your circumstances. The strongest places for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your opposer is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other extra checkers to move! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a great idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this case!