In extraordinarily simple terms, there are three general tactics used. You want to be agile enough to switch strategies instantly as the course of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This is composed of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you are able to achieve, to barricade in the competitor’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable course of action at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere within your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opponent tosses an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your three-point and you then roll a five-five, you can play six/one 6/1 eight/three eight/three. Your opponent is now in big-time trouble since they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inside board!
The Backgame
This tactic is where you have two or higher anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a position occupied by at least two of your checkers.) It must be played when you are decidedly behind as it greatly improves your circumstances. The strongest locations for anchor spots are near your competitor’s smaller points and either on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: after all, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to break down this straight away, while your competitor is getting their pieces home, owing to the fact that you do not have any other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it’s better to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opposer provides you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a good idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this case!