Backgammon – 3 General Strategies
Posted in Backgammon on 08/12/2026 03:25 pm by Jillian
In exceptionally simple terms, there are three main plans used. You need to be agile enough to hop between strategies quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to block in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is composed 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 shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is then in serious dire straits considering that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or more pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It must be played when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The better areas for anchors are close to your competitor’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is essential for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opponent is moving their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to attempt and get your challenger to get them in this case!