In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 general plans used. You want to be able to hop between strategies quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you can manage, to lock in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable course of action at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is then in big-time calamity considering that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It would be played when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchors are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other additional checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this situation!
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