[ English ]

In astonishingly general terms, there are 3 main plans employed. You want to be able to hop between game plans almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to barricade in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most suitable course of action at the begining of the match. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your opponent rolls an early 2 and shifts one piece from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opposer is then in serious calamity considering that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It must be used when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your circumstances. The better places for anchor spots are near your opponent’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is important for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their pieces home, because you do not have other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your challenger to get them in this case!