In very simple terms, there are 3 fundamental tactics employed. You must be agile enough to hop between techniques instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you might achieve, to barricade in your competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is now in big-time dire straits seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or more anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point filled by at least 2 of your pieces.) It must be played when you are significantly behind as it much improves your chances. The best areas for anchors are close to your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your opposer is getting their pieces home, seeing that you do not have any other spare pieces to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this case!