In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 general tactics employed. You need to be agile enough to hop between techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to achieve, to lock in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your challenger rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your competitor is then in serious dire straits because they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It should be used when you are significantly behind as this plan much improves your circumstances. The strongest areas for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: after all, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break apart this right away, while your opposer is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have any other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this situation!