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Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In exceptionally general terms, there are 3 basic strategies used. You want to be agile enough to switch tactics quickly as the action of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This is comprised of assembling a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you might manage, to barricade in your opponent’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most adequate tactic at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anywhere between your eleven-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the game continues.

The Blitz

This is comprised of closing your home board as quickly as as you can while keeping your opposer on the bar. e.g., if your opposer tosses an early two and shifts one piece from your one-point to your three-point and you then toss a 5-5, you will be able to play six/one 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opposer is now in big-time dire straits since they have two pieces on the bar and you have locked half your home board!

The Backgame

This strategy is where you have 2 or more pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be employed when you are extremely behind as this strategy greatly improves your chances. The best places for anchors are towards your opponent’s lower points and also on abutting points or with one point in between. Timing is integral for an effective backgame: besides, there’s no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your challenger is getting their pieces home, seeing that you don’t have any other additional pieces to shift! In this case, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position up till your opposer provides you a chance to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to try and get your competitor to hit them in this situation!