One criticism that is levelled at backgammon (invariably by rank amateurs) is that it is far too predictable a game to provide any sort of meaningful stimulation or enjoyment for the user, and is therefore by that logic simply a game that is for die hard fanatics, people with no social life, or people who breathe mathematic equations.

The problem is that for the most part, there are a number of generic strategies which are relied upon by players of all skill levels, both by the newest and least skilled players as well as by the master strategists. However, as predictable as these maybe, the random element to the game (conveniently provided by the dice) provides enough of a incentive to compel players to re think their game.

The running strategy is used with one key objective in mind, to the absolute exclusion of all others: getting the pips across the board as quickly as possible. The emphasis here then is solely upon covering as much terrain as the player possibly can and so strategies such as anchoring, prime blocks and the like are utterly dismissed.  This is usually adopted whenever the opponent has a significant lead over the player, or where the player has fewer counters than their opponent. It is a risky strategy because the opponent will do their level best to disrupt the smooth transition of the pips, and so change tact and set up their own anchors in order to stunt your progress.

The opposite of the running strategy is the blocking strategy where the emphasis here is being as obstinate and tricky for the opponent as possible in order to disrupt their plans and progress. If you suspect that your opponent maybe setting up their pips for this particular plan of attack, make sure that you neutralise any lone enemy pips you happen to see wherever you find them across the board so that you can more effectively prevent the opponent from establishing prime blocks. Things can become extremely awkward when both players decide to adopt this defensive approach! What then follows is a painfully slow war of attrition as the players will have to cautiously move their pips across the board without exposing their flanks too much.  It maybe necessary to set up a honey pot, that is, offer a pip as a “sacrificial lamb” in order to lure the opponent into disrupting their own defences.