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In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 chief strategies employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between tactics almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to lock in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your challenger rolls an early two and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is now in serious trouble considering that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home 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 a minimum two of your checkers.) It should be played when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The better places for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for a competent backgame: after all, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, owing to the fact that you don’t have other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your challenger to get them in this situation!