In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three chief strategies employed. You must be agile enough to hop between techniques quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to lock in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your opposer rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is now in serious calamity taking into account that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position filled by at least two of your pieces.) It must be employed when you are significantly behind as this strategy much improves your circumstances. The better locations for anchors are near your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break down this right away, while your opponent is getting their pieces home, taking into account that you don’t have any other additional pieces to move! In this situation, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your competitor gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a great idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this case!
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