In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 fundamental game plans used. You want to be agile enough to hop between strategies almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to manage, to block in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your challenger is then in serious difficulty taking into account that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at least two of your checkers.) It needs to be employed when you are extremely behind as it much improves your chances. The better areas for anchors are towards your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: after all, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this right away, while your opposer is shifting their checkers home, because you do not have other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!