In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 fundamental plans employed. You need to be agile enough to switch techniques quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you can achieve, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable strategy at the start of the game. You can build the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is composed of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opponent tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is now in serious calamity seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum two of your checkers.) It should be employed when you are extremely behind as this strategy greatly improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchors are towards your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is crucial for an effectual backgame: after all, there’s no reason 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 opposer is getting their pieces home, seeing that you do not have any other additional checkers to move! In this case, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this situation!