In exceptionally general terms, there are three chief tactics employed. You must be agile enough to hop between tactics instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to barricade in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable procedure at the start of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your opponent rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you can play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is now in big-time calamity due to the fact that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position filled by at least two of your pieces.) It would be used when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The better areas for anchors are towards your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for a powerful backgame: after all, there is no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you do not have any other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your opposer to get them in this situation!