In extraordinarily general terms, there are three basic strategies employed. You need to be agile enough to hop between techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to manage, to lock in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is comprised of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your opponent tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time difficulty due to the fact that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or more pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point filled by at least 2 of your pieces.) It must be used when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The best locations for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having two 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 opposer is shifting their checkers home, because you don’t have any other additional pieces to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up till your competitor gives you a chance to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!