In very simple terms, there are three fundamental strategies employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between tactics instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you might achieve, to lock in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your competitor rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is now in big-time dire straits because they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or higher checkers in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at least two of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The better locations for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for a competent backgame: besides, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you don’t have other additional checkers to move! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a great idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this case!
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