Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 basic techniques employed. You need to 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 a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to barricade in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable procedure at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is then in big-time dire straits taking into account that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or more anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a position filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be used when you are significantly behind as it much improves your chances. The better locations for anchors are close to your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is important for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your challenger is moving their pieces home, seeing that you do not have any other extra checkers to move! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!