Backgammon Tricks

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In exceptionally general terms, there are three fundamental strategies employed. You want to be able to hop between tactics almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you can manage, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable course of action at the start 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 progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your competitor is then in big-time dire straits considering that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or more anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position filled by at least 2 of your pieces.) It must be played when you are decidedly behind as this plan much improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchors are towards your competitor’s smaller points and also on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is crucial for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, taking into account that you don’t have any other additional checkers to move! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this case!