In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 chief plans employed. You must be agile enough to hop between techniques instantly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you might achieve, to barricade in your competitor’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most acceptable tactic at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your competitor rolls an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play six/one 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your challenger is then in serious trouble seeing 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 more checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a position consisting of at least two of your pieces.) It should be played when you are decidedly behind as this strategy much improves your chances. The better areas for anchors are near your opponent’s lower points and either on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break down this straight away, while your opponent is getting their checkers home, because you do not have any other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s more favorable to have checkers on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up until your opponent provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!