In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 fundamental tactics employed. You need to be able to hop between techniques quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to achieve, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable procedure at the start of the game. You can create the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your opponent rolls an early two and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is then in serious difficulty seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be employed when you are decidedly behind as this strategy much improves your circumstances. The better locations for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with one point in between. Timing is crucial for a competent backgame: after all, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your competitor is shifting their checkers home, seeing that you don’t have any other additional pieces to shift! In this situation, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this case!