In exceptionally general terms, there are three basic tactics used. You want to be agile enough to hop between strategies almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to manage, to lock in the opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate tactic at the start of the match. You can build the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opposer is now in big-time dire straits due to the fact that they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at least 2 of your pieces.) It should be played when you are decidedly behind as this strategy much improves your opportunities. The better places for anchors are near your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your opposer is moving their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have other spare pieces to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position up till your competitor gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this case!