In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three fundamental plans used. You must be able to hop between game plans almost instantly as the course 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 lock in the opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate procedure at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your competitor rolls an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is then in big-time dire straits seeing that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or more pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It should be employed when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The better locations for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: after all, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have any other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this case!