In very simple terms, there are three main plans employed. You want to be able to hop between tactics almost instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves building a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as thick as you might manage, to barricade in the opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable course of action at the start of the match. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as quickly 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 1-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is then in serious difficulty considering that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This course of action is where you have two or higher checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at least 2 of your pieces.) It needs to be used when you are significantly behind as this action greatly improves your opportunities. The best locations for anchors are close to your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjoining points or with one point in between. Timing is crucial for a powerful backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then required to break apart this straight away, while your challenger is moving their checkers home, taking into account that you don’t have any other spare checkers to move! In this situation, it’s more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your opposer gives you a chance to hit, so it will be a wonderful idea to try and get your opposer to hit them in this case!