In astonishingly general terms, there are three fundamental strategies used. You need to be agile enough to switch tactics almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to block in your competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable tactic at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your competitor rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is then in big-time trouble since they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or higher checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a point filled by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It should be used when you are extremely behind as this plan greatly improves your circumstances. The strongest places for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for an effectual backgame: after all, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this right away, while your competitor is shifting their checkers home, seeing that you don’t have other additional checkers to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a great idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!