In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three fundamental tactics used. You want to be agile enough to switch techniques quickly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to manage, to barricade in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your competitor tosses an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then roll a 5-5, you can play six/one six/one 8/3 eight/three. Your competitor is now in serious dire straits seeing that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have two or more anchors in your competitor’s home board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be employed when you are significantly behind as this strategy much improves your chances. The best locations for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s smaller points and either on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for a powerful backgame: after all, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break up this straight away, while your opponent is shifting their checkers home, because you don’t have any other spare pieces to move! In this case, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this situation!