In very simple terms, there are 3 chief strategies employed. You must be agile enough to switch game plans quickly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to achieve, to block in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate procedure at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your opponent tosses an early two and moves one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is then in serious dire straits due to the fact that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or more anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be employed when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your chances. The best areas for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with one point separating them. Timing is essential for an effective backgame: after all, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their pieces home, taking into account that you do not have other extra pieces to shift! In this case, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!