In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three fundamental game plans employed. You need to be agile enough to hop between tactics instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you can manage, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable strategy at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your opposer rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is now in big-time difficulty due to the fact that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have 2 or more pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It needs to be employed when you are decidedly behind as this plan much improves your circumstances. The better places for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 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 moving their pieces home, taking into account that you do not have any other extra pieces to shift! In this case, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to try and get your challenger to get them in this case!