In very simple terms, there are 3 basic techniques employed. You must be able to hop between techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to barricade in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic at the begining of the game. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game progresses.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as fast as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. e.g., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is then in serious difficulty considering that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have 2 or higher checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be used when you are extremely behind as it much improves your chances. The better locations for anchors are near your competitor’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: after all, there is no reason having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this right away, while your opposer is shifting their pieces home, considering that you don’t have any other additional checkers to move! In this case, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your opponent to get them in this case!