In astonishingly simple terms, there are three general techniques used. You want to be able to hop between strategies quickly as the action of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you might achieve, to lock in your competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your opponent tosses an early 2 and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you can play six/one six/one eight/three eight/three. Your challenger is then in big-time difficulty taking into account that they have two checkers on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or more anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point filled by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It would be played when you are extremely behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The better locations for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s smaller points and also on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for a competent backgame: besides, there’s no point having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break up this straight away, while your opposer is getting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don’t have any other additional pieces to move! In this case, it’s more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you can maintain your position up until your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opponent to get them in this situation!