Backgammon,  is all too readily dismissed as little more than a game of chance meaning that people do not appreciate the fact that there is in actual fact, a great deal of strategy involved as well. For those of you who look on backgammon as little more than a game involving the perfunctory rolling of dice, shame on you!

Backgammon is a game that requires no small effort of skill, and one of the most amusing aspects of it is the number of novice players who read some strategy either from a book or a website and then assume that they are a master at the game. These players invariably end up paying dearly for their over confidence, most usually, as soon as their opponent deviates even slightly from the players carefully planned trap, the cocky player quickly finds their confidence leaving them in a hurry!

One of the most versatile of the backgammon strategies is the “anchoring” technique. With the scenario outlined in the above paragraph, the problem with being accustomed to only a few strategies is that the player then runs the risk of becoming predictable as well as uncreative when it comes to changing tact. Many strategies are in actual fact, painfully obvious when they are executed and an experienced player can quickly spot them (and therefore counter them) a mile off. Anchoring however is simple enough to be easily remembered, and yet at the same time, is flexible enough to be altered without undue prejudice to the player relying upon it, as well as being able to be combined with another strategy.

Anchoring is the jargon term used to refer to whenever a player deliberately places and keeps a minimum of two of their pips on one of the points of their opponent. When kept in place and not moved, this means that the progress of the opponent is in effect utterly destroyed, because the rules of the game expressly state that if a player is unable to move their pips according to the number provided by the dice, then they forfeit their turn. However, whilst anchoring is a powerful move, it is crucial that the pips are not left unduly exposed. The last thing you want is to be creating an all powerful offensive strike to lunge at the enemy....only to leave your own defenses utterly useless thereby allowing the enemy to (re)gain the upper hand!