In exceptionally general terms, there are three basic techniques employed. You want to be able to hop between techniques almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is then in serious dire straits because they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or higher checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It must be used when you are significantly behind as this plan greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to dismantle this right away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, taking into account that you don’t have any other spare checkers to shift! In this situation, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this situation!
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