In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 basic strategies employed. You must be agile enough to switch game plans quickly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you might achieve, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable strategy at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early two and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is then in big-time difficulty since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or more pieces in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at least two of your checkers.) It needs to be employed when you are extremely behind as this plan much improves your chances. The best places for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this right away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, taking into account that you do not have other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position until your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your competitor to hit them in this case!