In very general terms, there are three basic plans employed. You must be agile enough to switch tactics almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate procedure at the begining 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 game continues.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your opponent tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time calamity seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or more checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as it much improves your opportunities. The best areas for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, taking into account that you don’t have any other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your challenger gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to attempt and get your competitor to hit them in this case!