In extraordinarily general terms, there are three main plans used. You need to be agile enough to hop between techniques instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you can manage, to lock in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the start of the match. You can build the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This is composed of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your competitor rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is now in big-time trouble due to the fact that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have 2 or more anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It must be used when you are decidedly behind as this plan greatly improves your circumstances. The best places for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid 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, considering that you do not have any other extra pieces to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!