In very general terms, there are three main tactics used. You need to be agile enough to hop between strategies almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can manage, to block in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your competitor tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your competitor is then in serious difficulty seeing that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least 2 of your pieces.) It should be used when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The best places for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and either on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for an effectual 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 break up this right away, while your competitor is getting their checkers home, taking into account that you don’t have any other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!