In exceptionally general terms, there are three fundamental plans used. You must be able to hop between tactics quickly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to achieve, to lock in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable tactic at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your opponent rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your competitor is then in serious dire straits because they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or more pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be used when you are significantly behind as this plan greatly improves your chances. The strongest locations for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: besides, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this right away, while your opposer is moving their pieces home, taking into account that you do not have any other extra checkers to move! In this situation, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a great idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this case!