In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 chief plans used. You must be agile enough to switch tactics almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to barricade in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable tactic at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your competitor tosses an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is then in serious difficulty considering that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or more checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It must be used when you are significantly behind as this strategy greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest locations for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: besides, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your opposer is moving their pieces home, taking into account that you don’t have any other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this case!
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