In extraordinarily general terms, there are three basic game plans employed. You need to be agile enough to hop between techniques instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to achieve, to block in your competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic 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 involves closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your challenger tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time trouble seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a point occupied by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It would be used when you are significantly behind as it much improves your opportunities. The better locations for anchors are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is essential for a powerful backgame: besides, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break apart this right away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, taking into account that you do not have other additional checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up until your opponent provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your challenger to get them in this case!