In astonishingly simple terms, there are three main plans used. You need to be agile enough to hop between strategies instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you might manage, to lock in the opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opponent rolls an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is then in big-time dire straits taking into account that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be employed when you are extremely behind as it much improves your chances. The best areas for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for an effective backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this right away, while your challenger is moving their pieces home, because you do not have any other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!
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