[ English ]

In exceptionally simple terms, there are 3 general tactics used. You must be agile enough to switch techniques quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you can achieve, to barricade in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable tactic at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is comprised of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your challenger tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your challenger is then in serious difficulty seeing that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or more pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as this strategy greatly improves your chances. The strongest places for anchors are towards your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your challenger is getting their pieces home, considering that you don’t have other extra checkers to move! In this case, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this case!