In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 chief plans employed. You must be able to switch game plans almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you might manage, to barricade in the competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your challenger rolls an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one six/one 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is then in serious trouble taking into account that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have 2 or more anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a position filled by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be played when you are extremely behind as this strategy greatly improves your circumstances. The better places for anchors are near your competitor’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with a single point in between. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: besides, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your challenger is moving their checkers home, because you do not have other additional pieces to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your competitor provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a good idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this case!
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