In very general terms, there are three basic strategies employed. You must be able to switch strategies instantly 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 manage, to lock in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the match. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your opposer rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your opponent is then in big-time trouble taking into account that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It needs to be employed when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your chances. The strongest locations for anchors are close to your competitor’s lower points and either on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is critical for a powerful 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 dismantle this straight away, while your challenger is moving their checkers home, because you don’t have other spare pieces to move! In this case, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position up till your challenger gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a great idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!