Backgammon Tips Winning Backgammon Tips

Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 general techniques used. You need to be agile enough to switch tactics quickly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to barricade in your competitor's pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable course of action at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game progresses.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your opponent tosses an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is now in big-time calamity seeing that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent's inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least two of your pieces.) It must be used when you are significantly behind as this action greatly improves your chances. The better locations for anchors are close to your opponent's smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is essential for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there's no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this right away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, considering that you do not have any other extra pieces to move! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this case!