In astonishingly general terms, there are three main plans used. You need to be agile enough to switch game plans almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of creating a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you can achieve, to block in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable procedure at the start of the game. You can create the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match advances.

The Blitz

This involves locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your opponent on the bar. i.e., if your opposer tosses an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is then in big-time trouble considering that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!

The Backgame

This course of action is where you have two or more anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It would be played when you are extremely behind as it much improves your opportunities. The best areas for anchor spots are close to your competitor’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is essential for a powerful backgame: after all, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break apart this straight away, while your opposer is shifting their pieces home, considering that you don’t have any other extra pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up until your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this case!