In astonishingly general terms, there are three chief tactics used. You must be able to switch techniques quickly as the course of the game 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 your competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable procedure at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This is composed of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your opponent rolls an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is now in big-time difficulty because they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or more pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point occupied by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It must be played when you are significantly behind as this plan greatly improves your circumstances. The better areas for anchor spots are towards your opponent’s lower points and either on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your challenger is shifting their checkers home, because you do not have other spare pieces to move! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to maintain your position up till your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this situation!
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