In very general terms, there are three basic game plans used. You need to be agile enough to hop between tactics almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable tactic at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your competitor rolls an early two and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is then in serious trouble considering that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or more checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least 2 of your pieces.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as this strategy much improves your circumstances. The better locations for anchors are near your competitor’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: after all, there is no reason having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opponent is getting their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you might preserve your position until your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your competitor to hit them in this case!