In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 general game plans employed. You need to be able to hop between strategies almost instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you are able to manage, to barricade in your opponent’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate course of action at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This is comprised of locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. e.g., if your challenger tosses an early two and shifts one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you are able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your competitor is now in big-time dire straits considering that they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inner board!
The Backgame
This plan is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It would be used when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your chances. The strongest areas for anchors are near your competitor’s smaller points and also on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is essential for an effective backgame: besides, there is no point having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break down this straight away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, taking into account that you do not have other additional checkers to shift! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you are able to preserve your position up till your challenger provides you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a wonderful idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this situation!