[ English ]

In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 chief game plans employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between tactics quickly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you are able to manage, to block in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable course of action at the start of the match. You can build the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This consists of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your opponent tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is now in big-time difficulty taking into account that 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 anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It must be employed when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your chances. The better locations for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your challenger is getting their pieces home, seeing that you do not have other additional pieces to shift! In this situation, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!