Strengthen the home board
To make a point, get at least two of your checkers onto it. Two checkers hold the point just as securely as five. A made home-board point blocks one entry number for the opponent and acts as part of a barrier their rear checkers must cross.
Compare the two made home points after 3–1 with the opening arrangement. Moving one spare from 6 leaves four there, so you retain control of 6 as you gain 5. Before making a new point, check whether you are giving up a more useful one or exposing a blot behind the play.
After 3–1, both adjacent home-board points are made. If Umber is later hit, two different entry numbers will be blocked.
Keep spares where they can do something
A spare is a checker above the two required to hold a point. A builder is a checker well placed to help make another point. A tall stack can hold a point but usually offers fewer ways to combine two dice than spares spread across several points.
Look at the gaps you want to fill. From points 8 and 6, 3–1 can make 5. If all those spare checkers are on 6, the 3 and 1 do not converge on 5. Keep builders aimed at valuable points, but count how many hits a new blot gives the opponent before you volunteer one.
Ivory has already made 7. With a 3–1 on a later turn, 8/5 6/5 would leave a blot on 8 in this exact position. Inspect the whole board before extending the prime.
Make an anchor when your rear checkers are threatened
An anchor is a point you hold in the opponent’s home board. It protects those checkers from attack and can guarantee a landing point if one of your other checkers is sent to the bar. An advanced anchor near the outside, such as the opponent’s 4- or 5-point, generally keeps more of your escape routes open than your original deep position does.
To make an anchor you may first have to split. In the example, Ivory’s two rear checkers occupy 24 and 21. A 3 can bring them together on 21, Umber’s 4-point. The other die still needs a constructive use. When your opponent has several strong home points, the protection of an anchor often outweighs the appeal of a speculative attack elsewhere.
Ivory can use the 3 to make point 21, then use the 1 on 10/9. Compare the exposed rear checkers before the move with the made anchor afterwards.
Practice question
You have five checkers on the 6-point. How many can move away while you still hold the point?
Show answer
Three. Two must remain to block an opposing landing.