In astonishingly simple terms, there are 3 main tactics employed. You need to be agile enough to hop between tactics almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to lock in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable course of action at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opponent tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play 6/1 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is now in serious calamity because they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It should be employed when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your circumstances. The better locations for anchors are near your opponent’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is essential for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this right away, while your opponent is shifting their pieces home, because you don’t have any other extra pieces to move! In this situation, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your competitor to hit them in this case!
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