In extraordinarily general terms, there are three chief game plans employed. You want to be agile enough to switch techniques quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to achieve, to lock in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable tactic at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This consists of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your competitor tosses an early 2 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 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is now in big-time difficulty considering that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have 2 or higher pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It must be used when you are extremely behind as this action greatly improves your circumstances. The best areas for anchor spots 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: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this right away, while your challenger is moving their checkers home, because you don’t have other spare checkers to move! In this case, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a great idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this case!