In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 fundamental game plans used. You must be able to hop between tactics quickly as the action of the match unfolds.
The Blockade
This comprises of assembling a 6-deep wall of pieces, or at least as deep as you might achieve, to barricade in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most suitable tactic at the begining of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace within your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game advances.
The Blitz
This is composed of locking your home board as fast as possible while keeping your challenger on the bar. For example, if your opposer 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 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is then in big-time dire straits since 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 more pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position consisting of at least 2 of your checkers.) It would be used when you are decidedly behind as this strategy much improves your circumstances. The strongest areas for anchor spots are close to your opponent’s lower points and also on adjacent points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there’s no point having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their checkers home, because you do not have any other spare pieces to shift! In this situation, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up till your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it will be a good idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!
March 31st, 2023
Lee
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