In extraordinarily general terms, there are three basic strategies used. You must be agile enough to hop between strategies instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves assembling a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you are able to manage, to block in your opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most adequate course of action at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.
The Blitz
This involves locking your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. e.g., if your competitor tosses an early two and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your challenger is then in serious difficulty taking into account that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This strategy is where you have 2 or higher anchors in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position filled by at a minimum 2 of your pieces.) It would be played when you are extremely behind as this action much improves your chances. The better places for anchors are near your opponent’s lower points and also on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is important for a powerful backgame: after all, there’s no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your opponent is getting their pieces home, considering that you do not have any other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it is more tolerable to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up till your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your challenger to get them in this case!