In very simple terms, there are three general game plans employed. You want to be agile enough to switch game plans instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to barricade in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable course of action at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your challenger tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is then in serious dire straits because they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at least two of your checkers.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as it much improves your opportunities. The strongest locations for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s lower points and either on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your challenger is getting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don’t have other spare checkers to shift! In this case, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a great idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this situation!