In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 main techniques employed. You need to be agile enough to switch game plans quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you are able to manage, to barricade in the competitor’s checkers that are located 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 anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your competitor rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is then in serious difficulty since they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or higher anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It must be played when you are significantly behind as this action greatly improves your circumstances. The best locations for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is essential for an effectual backgame: besides, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, because you do not have other additional checkers to shift! In this situation, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a great idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!
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