by Tony Narloch

Created on: June 13, 2009

A novice will look at the game of backgammon and already feel defeated as well as rather deflated, explaining their despondent mood on the basis that backgammon is a game that is arbitrairly decided with nothing more than a roll of the dice meaning that there is no skill to develop, nor strategy to hone. They will argue that attempting to learn anything beyond the basic rules and rules of etiquette is an entirely redundant exercise and a total waste of time However, this is an utter fallacy and so whilst there can be no denying that backgammon is a game of chance, like any other game of luck, there is also a degree of skill involved in the proceedings.

The rules and objectives of backgammon are extremly straightforward: each player has to move their coloured counters around the perimiters of the board, to the opposite end. However, such a clearly stated end goal belies the complexity involved within the game, and this article will provide in more detail the methods used to secure victory.

As the player moves their counter across the board, they will inevitably enroach upon the points contained within their enemies territory. Now, if there is two or more enemy counters on a point, then that means that access is blocked for the opponent. As can be plainly seen, the enemy is effectively hamstrung from an early stage, and the player who is able to dominate the board like this will be able to assert their will, dictate the pace of the game and ensure that they enjoy a significant head start.

The rules of backgammon provide that if a player is unable to move their counters according to the number of spaces so specified by the dice roll, then they must forfeit their turn. By ensuring that you set up an effective "roadblock", you will then force your enemy to forfeit turn after turn!

However, as effective as this rather simple strategy is, it is all too often abused by novices who end up spreading themselves too thinly and thus as a direct result, allow themselves to be more easily outflanked. By establishing a "prime blocker" i.e. a series of a minimum of at least 2 of your own counters placed on board points in a consecutive manner will mean that you dominate the field without actually risking any of your own counters. As soon as your stragglers are in the clear and are quite evidently on the path to victory, you can then rest easy and begin to break down your blockers and then move them directly to the finish line.

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