In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 main techniques employed. You must be agile enough to hop between strategies quickly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This consists of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to lock in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the match. You can create the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time dire straits due to the fact that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It should be employed when you are decidedly behind as this action greatly improves your circumstances. The better places for anchors are towards your competitor’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: after all, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, considering that you don’t have any other extra checkers to move! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up till your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!