In astonishingly simple terms, there are 3 chief plans employed. You want to be agile enough to switch techniques almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of creating a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you might manage, to barricade in the competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your competitor tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is now in big-time dire straits because they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have two or higher checkers in your opponent’s home board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It needs to be played when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The strongest areas for anchors are close to your opponent’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: after all, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this right away, while your competitor is getting their checkers home, because you do not have any other spare checkers to move! In this case, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to attempt and get your opposer to hit them in this situation!
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