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Las Vegas 2024 Super
Bowl Streaker!

In very general terms, there are 3 general tactics employed. You need to be agile enough to hop between strategies quickly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This involves creating a 6-deep wall of checkers, or at a minimum as thick as you can achieve, to block in the competitor’s pieces that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable course of action at the start of the game. You can assemble the wall anywhere inbetween your 11-point and your 2-point and then shift it into your home board as the game advances.

The Blitz

This involves closing your home board as quick as as you can while keeping your challenger on the bar. i.e., if your challenger rolls an early two and moves one checker from your one-point to your 3-point and you then roll a five-five, you will be able to play 6/1 6/1 eight/three 8/3. Your opposer is now in big-time trouble due to the fact that they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your home board!

The Backgame

This plan is where you have two or more checkers in your competitor’s inner board. (An anchor spot is a position occupied by at least 2 of your pieces.) It would be played when you are significantly behind as this plan greatly improves your chances. The best places for anchors are close to your competitor’s lower points and also on adjoining points or with a single point in between. Timing is important for an effective backgame: besides, there’s no point having two nice anchors and a solid wall in your own inner board if you are then forced to break down this straight away, while your competitor is shifting their checkers home, because you do not have any other spare pieces to shift! In this case, it is more favorable to have pieces on the bar so that you can preserve your position up until your challenger gives you an opportunity to hit, so it may be a good idea to attempt and get your competitor to get them in this situation!