In astonishingly general terms, there are three general tactics employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between tactics instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might achieve, to block in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer rolls an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is now in serious trouble 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 pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It must be employed when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your chances. The best locations for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is integral for an effectual backgame: besides, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opposer is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have any other additional pieces to move! In this case, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this case!
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