In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 fundamental strategies employed. You want to be able to hop between strategies quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable course of action at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your opposer rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time trouble due to the fact that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least 2 of your checkers.) It should be used when you are decidedly behind as this plan much improves your circumstances. The better places for anchors are close to your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for a powerful backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break down this right away, while your challenger is moving their pieces home, considering that you don’t have any other additional checkers to shift! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a great idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!