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The main difference of backgammon from other games, where the outcome is essentially totally random and hingers on a throw of dice, spin of a ball or random numbers generation, is that the experience, skills and abilities of a player have a decisive effect on the outcome. Hence, different strategies of winning in backgammon have been developed, and allow fastest winning, play by denial, and other options. Because of this, it is most efficient to select the optimal strategy depending on your own skills and experience and stick to it.
Basic Backgammon strategy: Blitz
In a Backgammon game you'll win if you are the first to remove your checkers from the board, regardless of whether long or short game is being played. The simplest strategy is the so-called 'blitz' game. This is the optimal strategy for new players that don't know all the nuances all the intricacies of the game, especially with different ways of blocking – locking the other player's figures in position and thus slowing a game. If you have started at backgammon just recently, stick to the blitz game. The essence of this strategy is simple: depending on the results of a dice throw, and the total number there, plan your moves so that you remove your checkers off the board the fastest. If you are using Blitz strategy, there's no need for you to interact with the opponent’s checkers – just bypass the blocks other players put into your way.
Blitz in Backgammon: hitting the 'blot'
This strategy is especially important for the short game of Backgammon, where the game is more aggressive and frequently develops into a tough battle with your opponent. To follow the Blitz strategy, you try to move your own checkers as fast as you can, and also hitting any 'blots' – fields taken by one of opponent’s checkers – with your own pieces. Do it as soon as you can as that would place opponent’s pieces on the bar, while blocking the fields in your own home board to complicate the game for other player. If you can hit the “blot” when the game has just started, it can be very useful to slow down the opponent. It can also be used if any double is thrown on the D6 (as by the rules a double thrown on the dice lets the player do four moves instead of two). Use the extra moves deviously to block fields that may be important for your opponent.
Roadblocks strategy
This strategy looks very simple at first: its main idea is to build a 'wall' of your own checkers, which would stop the movement of other player'spieces. In reality, though, before you attempt to utilise it, it's still best to gain some experience with the game first. In addition to experience, you also have to build a 'wall' in the smallest possible number of turns. To build a roadblock, you select six fields in a row in a point that is important to your opponent, and build a wall there by putting two checkers into each one of the six fields.
This strategy is especially effective if you use it from the beginning of a game. Always use it if you have 6+1 on your dice throw and can block the 7th field. This way you can block two of the other player's pieces in your own home edge and stop them from leaving. Building a wall always gives you an advantage, even if it is not six fields long. Even a three-field wall could be effective in a tactical spot, like on fields 4,5,6.
Reverse strategy
This strategy is most useful when you are not in control of the game flow and are finding yourself in a more precarious position with every turn. In such situation, the optimal solution is to create minimum of one or two 'anchors' (two or more checkers on a field) from your own checkers in opponent’s home half of the board, and maximum number of 'anchors' in your own field. If you stick to reverse strategy, there is a chance that a player would have to leave a single checker 'open' (a 'blot,' piece that can be removed to the bar if hit) for you to hit. 'Anchoring' strategy is also very effective when the game is going your way, even in this can you can win couple of turns from your opponent. To do this, build some anchors and wait until you can hit opponent’s blot, removing a piece to the bar. This strategy has another advantage in addition to gaining a time advantage – if you roll a double, you can always destroy your anchor and move the checkers closer to your home field – which is easy to do with four moves from double rolled.
