In very simple terms, there are 3 general techniques employed. You must be agile enough to switch strategies quickly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you can manage, to barricade in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable tactic at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your challenger tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you can play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is now in big-time calamity because they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or more checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as this plan much improves your circumstances. The strongest locations for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and either on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for a powerful backgame: besides, there is no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this right away, while your opposer is moving their checkers home, considering that you don’t have any other spare pieces to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a great idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this case!
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