Backgammon Tricks

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In very simple terms, there are three main tactics employed. You must be able to hop between techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you can manage, to lock in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable course of action at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle 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 competitor on the bar. For example, if your competitor rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you can play 6/1 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is now in big-time dire straits since they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or higher pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It must be played when you are decidedly behind as this strategy greatly improves your circumstances. The better areas for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is critical for a competent backgame: after all, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your opposer is getting their pieces home, because you do not have any other additional checkers to move! In this situation, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this case!