In very general terms, there are three chief techniques employed. You want to be agile enough to switch strategies quickly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might achieve, to block in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable strategy at the start of the game. You can create the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is then in big-time calamity due to the fact that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It must be used when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your opportunities. The strongest places for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for an effective backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break apart this straight away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, owing to the fact that you don’t have other additional checkers to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!