In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 chief strategies used. You must be able to switch strategies almost instantly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to block in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace between your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your opposer tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your competitor is now in serious trouble because they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or more pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be played when you are significantly behind as this strategy greatly improves your chances. The better places for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: after all, there is no reason having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your opponent is moving their checkers home, because you don’t have other extra checkers to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this situation!