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Bowl Streaker!

In astonishingly general terms, there are three fundamental tactics used. You need to be agile enough to hop between strategies instantly as the action of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This is composed of assembling a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to barricade in the opponent’s checkers that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most adequate course of action at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anywhere inbetween your eleven-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game progresses.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. For example, if your challenger rolls an early two and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opposer is now in serious dire straits considering that they have 2 pieces on the bar and you have locked half your inside board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or more checkers in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a point consisting of at a minimum two of your pieces.) It should be played when you are extremely behind as this strategy much improves your chances. The better areas for anchor spots are near your opponent’s lower points and either on adjacent points or with a single point separating them. Timing is critical for a powerful backgame: after all, there is no reason having 2 nice anchor spots and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to break down this right away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, owing to the fact that you don’t have other extra checkers to shift! In this case, it is better to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it will be an excellent idea to try and get your competitor to get them in this situation!