In exceptionally general terms, there are three basic strategies employed. You need to be able to switch strategies instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you might manage, to lock in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable course of action at the start of the match. You can create the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is now in serious trouble since they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or more checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position filled by at least 2 of your pieces.) It should be employed when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The best areas for anchors are close to your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, seeing that you don’t have any other spare pieces to shift! In this case, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!