In very simple terms, there are three chief plans employed. You must be agile enough to hop between techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to barricade in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opponent tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time trouble considering that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or more checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be played when you are extremely behind as this strategy much improves your circumstances. The best locations for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and either on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: besides, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have other extra pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this case!
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