What Is a Blitz?

The blitz is backgammon’s most aggressive strategy. The plan is simple:

  1. Hit your opponent’s checkers aggressively
  2. Build your home board while they’re on the bar
  3. Close out your home board (make all 6 points)
  4. Trap your opponent on the bar while you race home

A successful blitz can produce gammons and backgammons — the most decisive victories in backgammon.

When to Blitz

Not every game calls for a blitz. Look for these conditions:

Favorable Conditions

  • Your opponent has a blot in your home board (or multiple blots)
  • You have builders (loose checkers near your home board) to cover points
  • Your home board is already partially made (2-3 points)
  • You rolled well early and have momentum

Unfavorable Conditions

  • Your opponent has a strong anchor in your board (2+ checkers on a point) — you can’t blitz anchored pieces
  • You lack builders to cover home board points
  • Your back checkers are stuck and you need them to escape

Executing the Blitz

Step 1: Hit Everything

In a blitz, hit every blot you can, especially in your home board:

  • Hitting brings your checkers to useful positions
  • Each hit costs your opponent a turn (or more if they can’t re-enter)
  • Multiple checkers on the bar create a crushing advantage

Step 2: Build Your Home Board

After hitting, cover the point if possible:

  • “Hit and cover” moves (hitting and then making the point) are ideal
  • Use builders from the midpoint (13) and outer board (7-12) to cover
  • Prioritize the higher points first (5, 4 before 3, 2, 1) for maximum blocking

Step 3: Close the Board

The ultimate goal is a six-point prime in your home board:

  • All 6 home points made
  • Opponent’s checkers on the bar cannot re-enter
  • You can now bring all your remaining checkers home at your leisure

Step 4: Bear Off

Once your board is closed and your remaining checkers are home:

  • Start bearing off
  • Even if you break a point and the opponent enters, you’re so far ahead it rarely matters

Blitz Tactics

Use the Forced Momentum

In a blitz, dice momentum matters enormously:

  • Good rolls compound: each hit builds your board, making the next hit more devastating
  • Bad rolls can stall the blitz: if you can’t hit or cover, the opponent re-enters and you may lose momentum

Don’t Fear Leaving Blots

During a blitz, leaving blots is acceptable if:

  • They’re in positions that can make key home board points
  • The opponent is on the bar and may not re-enter
  • The potential gain (closing a point) outweighs the risk

Know When to Abandon the Blitz

If the blitz stalls (opponent re-enters, escapes, or establishes an anchor), shift to a different strategy:

  • If you’ve built a strong board, play a holding game
  • If you have a prime, extend it
  • Don’t keep swinging wildly if the blitz has lost momentum

Blitz and the Doubling Cube

A live blitz is a prime doubling opportunity:

  • If you have 2+ opponent checkers on the bar and a 4-5 point home board, your winning chances are very high
  • Double before your opponent stabilizes
  • Your opponent should usually drop if your board is nearly closed

Gammon Risk

Blitz wins frequently produce gammons. If you own the cube:

  • Consider not re-doubling if a gammon is likely (you already get 2× for the gammon)
  • But if you’re in a match where the gammon doesn’t help, push the cube