Backgammon Strategy

1. The basics of decision-making

Backgammon strategy rests on constantly assessing your position relative to your opponent's. Before every move, ask yourself three questions:

1. Am I ahead or behind in the race? (check the pip counts)
2. Who is threatening whom? (vulnerable blots, points to be made)
3. Which overall game plan suits this position?

The big difference from beginners: an expert reads the position before moving. A beginner moves the first checker that seems logical.

2. Running Game — the pure race

The running game is the simplest strategy: you get away from your opponent and race towards your home board as fast as possible. You ignore hitting and you do not try to block — you simply move your checkers as far forward as possible on every roll.

When should you play a running game?

• When you have a significant lead in the pip count (more than 10 pips ahead)
• When your opponent no longer has any checkers in your home board
• In the final phase, when both sides have their checkers gathered in their home boards

Running game technique

Priorities, in order: (1) get your runners out of your opponent's home board, (2) bring the midpoint checkers forward, (3) build your home board by filling the low points.

3. Blocking Game — hemming in your opponent

A blocking strategy means making as many consecutive points as possible to stop your opponent's checkers from getting past. A made point (two or more of your checkers) cannot be landed on by your opponent.

The aim is to build what is known as a prime — a run of consecutive made points. A four-point prime is solid, a five-point prime is very strong and a six-point prime is all but unstoppable.

Which points to make first

The most valuable points (in order): the 5-point, the 4-point, the 7-point, the 6-point, the 3-point and the 2-point. Making the 5-point early in the game is often the best move available.

4. Back Game — the counter-attack

The back game is a strategy of deliberately falling behind. You intentionally allow checkers to be hit and dig in deep in your opponent's home board (on the 1 and 2-points, or the 1 and 3-points). Your aim is to hit your opponent late, as they try to bring their checkers home and bear off.

Conditions for a successful back game

• You are genuinely far behind in the race (20 or more pips)
• You hold two points in your opponent's home board AND your own home board is well built
• Your opponent still has vulnerable checkers to hit

5. Priming — the six-point wall

A full prime (six consecutive made points) is one of the most powerful positions in backgammon. Opposing checkers trapped “behind” this wall simply cannot get past it, whatever they roll. You have all the time in the world to bring your checkers home and bear them off while your opponent is stuck.

Building a prime

To build a prime on points 4-5-6-7-8-9, you need 12 checkers to make those six points — leaving only 3 spare checkers. Managing those spares is the art of the priming game.

How do you escape an opponent's prime?

If your opponent has built a prime and your checkers are trapped behind it, you have few options. Wait until they are forced to “break” the prime (move its checkers forward), then try to jump over with high numbers.

6. Blitz — the all-out attack

The blitz is an aggressive strategy: you hit as many of your opponent's blots as you can while quickly building your home board. If your opponent has several checkers on the bar just as you close your board, their position becomes hopeless.

Conditions that favour a blitz

• Your opponent has several exposed blots (single checkers)
• You have checkers well placed to hit
• Your home board is already partly built (three or more made points)

The risks of a blitz

If you hit but your home board is open, the checkers you have hit can come back in easily and hit you in return. A failed blitz can cost you the game.

7. Anchors and key points

An anchor is a point you hold in your opponent's home board. An anchor on your 20 or 21-point (your opponent's 5 and 4-points) is valuable because it:

• Reduces the risk of a gammon (your back checkers can no longer be hit or shut in)
• Threatens to hit opposing checkers passing nearby
• Gives you a base from which to launch a counter-attack

Your opponent's 5-point (the 20-point)

Making a point on the 20-point (your opponent's 5-point) is extremely valuable. It is one of the first things to aim for early in the game when you roll a suitable number.

8. The best opening moves

9. Strategic mistakes to avoid