In extraordinarily simple terms, there are 3 general strategies employed. You must be agile enough to hop between tactics instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This is comprised of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you are able to manage, to block in your competitor’s checkers that are located on your 1-point. This is judged to be the most acceptable course of action at the begining of the game. You can create the wall anywhere within your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the match advances.
The Blitz
This consists of locking your home board as fast as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early 2 and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your competitor is now in serious calamity because 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 anchors in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a point occupied by at least two of your pieces.) It needs to be played when you are decidedly behind as it much improves your circumstances. The best places for anchors are near your competitor’s lower points and either on adjoining points or with a single point separating them. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: at the end of the day, there is no point having two nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this right away, while your competitor is moving their checkers home, because you do not have any other extra pieces to shift! In this situation, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you might preserve your position up until your opposer gives you an opportunity to hit, so it can be a great idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this situation!