In astonishingly simple terms, there are 3 main techniques used. You want to be agile enough to hop between game plans quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you are able to achieve, to barricade in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable procedure at the start of the match. You can build the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is then in serious dire straits due to the fact that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or more anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a position filled by at least two of your checkers.) It should be employed when you are significantly behind as it much improves your circumstances. The best areas for anchors are near your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for a powerful backgame: besides, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break apart this right away, while your challenger is moving their checkers home, taking into account that you don’t have any other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!
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