In very general terms, there are three general plans employed. You must be agile enough to switch techniques almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to achieve, to barricade in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable tactic at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.

The Blitz

This consists of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is then in big-time dire straits due to the fact that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or more pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at least 2 of your pieces.) It must be used when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest areas for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: besides, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this right away, while your challenger is shifting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have other additional checkers to move! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this case!