Important Backgammon Tactics To Win

When you play backgammon you sometimes need to have an overriding tactic or two that keeps your opponent off balance. Backgammon tactics are sometimes exceedingly frustrating to your opponent and can give you the opportunity to get your pieces positioned while your opponent recovers from your aggressive or continuing moves. How you apply these backgammon tactics is a key element when you play backgammon and one that can keep you winning if, in some cases, you are willing to put yourself out on a limb.

A base of operation

Just like a solid field strategy in battle, backgammon tactics need a few basic elements to succeed. The first element in a tactic is to have a base of operations. This would be a place where you feel relatively comfortable working from. There are a few better places on the backgammon board to set up a base of operations. The first, and likely best, is at least two points covered with at least two pieces next to one another within rolling distance of your home board. From this position you can set up satellite points, with two pieces, that you can use as positions to fill your home board evenly.

A satellite block

A good base of operations, in a place such as the one suggested, also shapes you up for a nice tactic that will annoy the heck out of your opponent. From this position work to cover your home boards five, six and seven points. This is especially good if he is still in your home board. In order for him to get out of the back he will need specific rolls which will generally mean a low number and a high number on the dice.

Strangle hold

When you play backgammon you can play nice or you can play mean and correctly. Nice is ok, but not nearly as nice as correctly. If you have set up a base of operations, satellites and covered points you are ready to slowly move in point by point from the four point in. Eventually your opponent will be stuck and unable to use his roll. If you are nice you can leave a point for him to roll and let him go, or send him back again. Unless he gets lucky and you get unlucky you win. But remember the nature of the game doesn’t guarantee anything.

Hit him whenever you can

This backgammon tactic is often thought of as playing fast and loose. Sometimes it works but most of the time it doesn’t. Generally, use it for the first several rolls and see how it goes. When you have a feel for how it’s going regroup and finish him off or hopefully catch up. To use this tactic try and keep points covered but also don’t worry about spacing out a few pieces within striking range if he has some exposed pieces as well. Constantly hit him sending piece after piece to the bar. If you have a well developed back board so much the better.  But remember that if he has pieces on the bar, you had better have a good back board as you wind up the game or you’ll be looking for double six’s all over the place.