In astonishingly simple terms, there are three basic tactics employed. You want to be able to hop between tactics quickly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you can achieve, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate tactic at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opposer rolls an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is then in big-time trouble taking into account that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at least two of your pieces.) It must be employed when you are significantly behind as this plan greatly improves your chances. The better areas for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to dismantle this right away, while your challenger is getting their checkers home, seeing that you do not have other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it is more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position until your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a great idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this case!
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