Strategy
Players who have a pawn that has not moved too far away from its start area, and draw a card that allows them to move a pawn backward, can (and should) elect to move this pawn backward. Move a pawn in such a situation backward enough, and the pawn is suddenly almost home.
The 7 can be split; it is often possible to do so such that one of the pieces winds up on a slide, thus increasing the value of this card. It also provides an additional opportunity for pawns to get Home, so long as there's another pawn on the board to use up the remaining spaces.
All other things being equal, moves that cause a pawn to wind up in front of an opponent's start square are poor choices, due to the high number of cards that allow that opponent to enter. Some feel that leaving a pawn on one's own square just outside of "Start" (also known as the "Dot") is a poor position to be in since new pawns are blocked from entering play.
There are numerous strategies and tactics employed by skilled players. One such strategy is to leave the last pawn in the "Start" square and move the other pawns around the board while waiting for a "Sorry" card.
Another smart move requires two pawns in play: While marching one pawn around the board, a player can leave a second pawn near "Start" (within two squares of the dot) and wait for the 4 card to be drawn and moving the second pawn into position to run quickly "Home."
Due to the 11 (switching places), 4 (moving backwards, as noted above), and "Sorry" (allowing the player to send virtually any pawn back to its start) cards, the lead in the game can change dramatically in a short amount of time; players are very rarely so far behind as to be completely out of the game. This should be considered when playing a "Sorry" or an 11.
Slowing the game down is a risky yet effective move when given the opportunity. Essentially, when a player has the chance to switch with or hit the apparent leader, even though the move will not be to the player's immediate advancement around the board, the move should be made to keep the leader out of "Safety" and more importantly, out of "Home." The Sorry! card is normally the card that is least appreciated from the person who receives the action.
Read more about this topic: Sorry! (game)
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