In very simple terms, there are 3 fundamental tactics used. You want to be agile enough to hop between strategies instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you might achieve, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable course of action at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opposer rolls an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is then in big-time difficulty seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or more pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be employed when you are extremely behind as this plan much improves your chances. The better locations for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is critical for a competent backgame: after all, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your opposer is moving their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don’t have any other spare pieces to shift! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your challenger to get them in this case!