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In exceptionally general terms, there are three general strategies employed. You want to be able to hop between tactics instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This consists of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable tactic at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere inbetween 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 quick as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your competitor is then in serious dire straits taking into account that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or higher checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at least two of your pieces.) It should be employed when you are extremely behind as this plan much improves your chances. The best places for anchors are near your opponent’s lower points and also on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is essential for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this right away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, seeing that you don’t have any other extra pieces to move! In this case, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this case!