Remember - when ever you make a plan -- the dice will mess it up -- this game is half skill and half luck.

Dont leave single pieces in slots unless you want to get hit

remember when you hit someone in your home row you leave yourself open to be hit back when they come in

is better to move one piece and have it safe - than two which you leave open to be hit.

Fill the 5 spot in both your and your opponents home row with two stacked pieces if you can - as soon as you can - this and the 7 spot are stratgic point to hold.

the 5 spot is the fifth place from where you take pieces off the board. this gives you a place to hit your opponent as they try to get home, and serves to trap your opponent in you home row - besides giving him fewer places to land when he re-enters the board

dont be in too much of a hurry to get your pieces out of your opponents home space. concentrate instead on filling your own home row with doubles - when you occupy spaces in your opponents home row you restrict the combinations he needs to get in, also gives you a place to hit him in the 7 through 12 spots

try to have as few pieces as possible in the 4 - 5 -6 spaces at the end of the game -- makes them harder to get off

Finally dont feel you have to take every piece off the board your opponent offers you. Sometimes a player wants you to hit him so he can re-enter your side of the board.