In extraordinarily general terms, there are three basic tactics employed. You need to be able to switch game plans almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you might manage, to block in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate procedure at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early two and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is then in big-time dire straits since they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have 2 or more checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position filled by at least two of your checkers.) It must be played when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The better locations for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is essential for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this right away, while your opponent is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you do not have any other spare pieces to shift! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your opponent gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your challenger to get them in this case!
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