In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three fundamental techniques employed. You want to be agile enough to hop between techniques instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you might achieve, to lock in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate course of action at the start of the match. You can build the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your opposer rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your challenger is now in big-time difficulty considering that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or higher anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least 2 of your pieces.) It should be used when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your chances. The better places for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with one point in between. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: after all, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, seeing that you do not have any other extra checkers to shift! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a good idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!
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