In exceptionally general terms, there are three chief plans used. You must be agile enough to hop between game plans quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you might manage, to lock in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable course of action at the start of the match. You can build the wall anyplace within your 11-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 fast as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your opposer rolls an early 2 and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play 6/1 six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your opponent is now in big-time calamity because they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your home board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or higher pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a point occupied by at least two of your checkers.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as this plan greatly improves your circumstances. The better areas for anchor spots are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this right away, while your competitor is getting their checkers home, because you don’t have any other additional pieces to move! In this case, it is better to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to try and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!
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