In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 main game plans employed. You must be able to hop between strategies almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you might achieve, to block in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate procedure at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early 2 and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you are able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is now in serious dire straits seeing that they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or more checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your checkers.) It should be played when you are decidedly behind as this action much improves your circumstances. The strongest locations for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: after all, there is no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their checkers home, taking into account that you don’t have any other extra checkers to move! In this situation, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this case!