[ English ]

In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three basic tactics employed. You need to be able to switch strategies quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you might manage, to block in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate strategy at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your 2-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your opponent tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is now in serious dire straits since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or higher checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It needs to be played when you are decidedly behind as this action much improves your chances. The better places for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s lower points and either on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there’s 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 right away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you don’t have any other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up till your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this case!