In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 main strategies employed. You want to be agile enough to switch game plans quickly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to lock in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable course of action at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is now in big-time difficulty due to the fact that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It must be used when you are significantly behind as this strategy greatly improves your circumstances. The best locations for anchors are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your challenger is getting their pieces home, because you do not have any other additional pieces to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!
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