In astonishingly general terms, there are three fundamental strategies employed. You need to be agile enough to switch strategies quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to manage, to barricade in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable course of action at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your competitor tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is then in serious trouble because they have two checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher pieces in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at least two of your checkers.) It would be played when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The strongest locations for anchors are close to your competitor’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with one point separating them. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: after all, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your challenger is getting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other additional pieces to move! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your challenger gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a great idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!