In extraordinarily general terms, there are three general tactics employed. You must be able to switch game plans quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to achieve, to barricade in the opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable strategy at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match progresses.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your challenger rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opposer is then in serious dire straits since they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It would be used when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The better areas for anchors are near your competitor’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your opponent is getting their checkers home, seeing that you don’t have other additional checkers to shift! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!