In extraordinarily general terms, there are three general game plans employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between game plans instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you are able to manage, to barricade in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate procedure at the start of the game. You can create the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your opponent tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you can play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is now in big-time difficulty considering that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or higher checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It must be played when you are decidedly behind as this strategy much improves your circumstances. The better places for anchors are near your opponent’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to dismantle this right away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don’t have other additional checkers to shift! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your opponent gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a great idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this situation!