In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 general strategies used. You want to be agile enough to hop between tactics almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you might achieve, to barricade in your competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable course of action at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opposer is now in serious difficulty seeing that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or more anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It needs to be used when you are extremely behind as this plan much improves your circumstances. The strongest places for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and also on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is important for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your opponent is getting their checkers home, considering that you don’t have any other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this case!
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