In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three main strategies employed. You want to be able to hop between techniques quickly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to achieve, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable tactic at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game continues.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your challenger tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is now in serious trouble because they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner 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 needs to be employed when you are extremely behind as this plan greatly improves your circumstances. The best places for anchors are towards your competitor’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is crucial for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your opponent is moving their checkers home, considering that you do not have other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a great idea to attempt and get your opposer to get them in this situation!