In exceptionally general terms, there are three main tactics used. You must be agile enough to switch game plans almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you can achieve, to barricade in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate tactic at the start of the game. You can create the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in serious dire straits due to the fact that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It must be employed when you are significantly behind as this strategy greatly improves your chances. The strongest locations for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for a powerful backgame: after all, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your opposer is shifting their checkers home, considering that you don’t have any other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a good idea to try and get your challenger to get them in this situation!
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