In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 basic techniques employed. You want to be able to hop between tactics almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to lock in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable course of action at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your challenger rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your opponent is then in serious trouble since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It should be employed when you are significantly behind as this plan greatly improves your circumstances. The better places for anchors are close to your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: besides, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this right away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, considering that you do not have any other extra checkers to move! In this situation, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your competitor gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opposer to get them in this case!
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