In astonishingly general terms, there are three basic plans employed. You want to be able to hop between strategies instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of creating a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to achieve, to lock in the opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable strategy at the begining of the match. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your eleven-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your opponent tosses an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play six/one six/one eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is now in serious calamity because they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have closed half your home board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position filled by at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be used when you are decidedly behind as this plan greatly improves your opportunities. The best areas for anchors are towards your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is essential for a competent backgame: besides, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break apart this right away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, seeing that you don’t have any other spare checkers to move! In this case, it’s more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you might maintain your position up till your challenger gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to try and get your opposer to get them in this case!