Backgammon – Three General Techniques
Posted in Backgammon on 02/08/2026 06:25 pm by JillianIn extraordinarily general terms, there are three main techniques used. You need to be able to hop between tactics quickly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you might achieve, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your challenger tosses an early 2 and shifts 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 competitor is now in big-time calamity since they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or more checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be employed when you are extremely behind as it much improves your circumstances. The best locations for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is essential for an effectual backgame: besides, there is no reason having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your challenger is getting their checkers home, taking into account that you don’t have other spare checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to attempt and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!
