Read more about the
Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In astonishingly simple terms, there are 3 main strategies used. You want to be agile enough to hop between techniques almost instantly as the course of the game unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of building a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at least as deep as you might manage, to barricade in your competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is deemed to be the most acceptable procedure at the start of the match. You can assemble the wall anyplace between your 11-point and your two-point and then shift it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as quickly as possible while keeping your opposer on the bar. i.e., if your opponent rolls an early two and moves one piece from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you are able to play 6/1 six/one eight/three 8/3. Your opponent is now in big-time calamity due to the fact that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have 2 or more pieces in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor is a point occupied by at least two of your pieces.) It should be used when you are decidedly behind as this action greatly improves your circumstances. The best areas for anchors are near your opponent’s smaller points and also on abutting points or with one point separating them. Timing is critical for an effectual backgame: at the end of the day, there is no reason having 2 nice anchors and a complete wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your competitor is moving their pieces home, taking into account that you don’t have other additional pieces to move! In this case, it is more tolerable to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your challenger provides you a chance to hit, so it may be a great idea to attempt and get your challenger to hit them in this situation!