In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 fundamental plans employed. You need to be agile enough to switch techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you might achieve, to block in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable tactic at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This consists of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your opponent rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your competitor is now in big-time dire straits because they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It should be used when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your chances. The better areas for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this straight away, while your opponent is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other extra checkers to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a great idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this case!