In exceptionally simple terms, there are three chief strategies employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between tactics almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you are able to achieve, to lock in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the match. You can build the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your competitor tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is now in serious difficulty because they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have 2 or more checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It must be played when you are decidedly behind as this strategy greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchors are close to your competitor’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: after all, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you do not have any other additional checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a great idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this case!
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