In very simple terms, there are three fundamental strategies used. You must be agile enough to hop between game plans almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you can achieve, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your opposer tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is now in big-time trouble due to the fact that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or more anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position filled by at least two of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest locations for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for an effectual backgame: besides, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your challenger is getting their pieces home, considering that you don’t have other spare checkers to move! In this case, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!