In astonishingly simple terms, there are 3 fundamental game plans employed. You want to be able to hop between game plans quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you can achieve, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your competitor tosses an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is now in big-time difficulty seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside 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 a minimum two of your checkers.) It needs to be played when you are significantly behind as this action greatly improves your chances. The better locations for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is integral for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your opposer is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you don’t have other extra pieces to move! In this case, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your challenger to get them in this case!