Checkers, called draughts in Britain, is a classic two-player strategy game of diagonal moves and forced jumps. Here is how it began, how to play, and how to win.
The History of Checkers and Draughts
Checkers is one of the oldest families of board games still played today. A likely ancestor is alquerque, a capturing game on a 5x5 grid of lines, which the Moors brought to Spain. The European game was probably being played by about 1100 in the south of France, using a chessboard.
The name depends on where you live. In the United States and Canada the game is called checkers, after the checkered board. In the United Kingdom it is called draughts, from the verb to draw, meaning to move.
International draughts, played on a 10x10 board with 20 pieces per side, emerged in Europe around the 1600s and 1700s; its exact origin is uncertain. In 2007 a team led by Jonathan Schaeffer at the University of Alberta, using the program Chinook, announced that American 8x8 checkers is weakly solved: with perfect play, it is a draw.
How to Play Checkers: Basic Rules (American 8x8)
Checkers is played by two players on an 8x8 board, using only the dark squares. Each player starts with 12 pieces on the three rows closest to them. The goal is simple: capture all of your opponent's pieces, or leave them with no legal move.
- Set up the board so each player has a dark square in the bottom-left corner. Place 12 pieces on the dark squares of your three nearest rows. Black moves first in American rules; some sets use red instead of black.
- Players take turns. A normal piece, called a man, moves one square diagonally forward onto an empty dark square. In American and English rules, men can never move or capture backward.
- To capture, jump diagonally over an adjacent enemy piece into the empty square directly behind it. The jumped piece is removed from the board.
- Captures are mandatory. If you can jump, you must jump. If several jumps are available, you may choose which one to make, though you must finish the jump sequence you start.
- Multiple jumps are allowed. If your piece lands on a square from which it can jump again, it must continue in the same turn, and it can change direction along the way.
- When a man reaches the far row, it is crowned a king, usually by stacking a second piece on top. If a jump ends on that row, the turn ends there.
- A king moves and captures diagonally one square at a time, both forward and backward, which makes it much more powerful than a man. In American rules kings do not fly.
- You win when your opponent has no pieces left or cannot move.
Checkers vs Draughts: International and Other Variants
British draughts, also called English draughts, plays almost exactly like American checkers on an 8x8 board, with kings that move one square at a time.
International draughts uses a 10x10 board and 20 pieces each, and White moves first. Men may capture backward, kings fly any distance along a diagonal, and players must take the route that captures the most pieces. Russian draughts uses 8x8 with backward-capturing men and flying kings, but no most-pieces rule.
Checkers Strategy: Tips to Win More Games
Good players plan several jumps ahead. These habits will help you beat the computer and your friends.
- Control the center. Central pieces have more moves and are harder to trap than edge pieces.
- Keep your back row as long as you can. Pieces on your home row stop the opponent from crowning, so move them only when you need to.
- Move in groups. Supported pieces cannot be jumped easily, because the square behind each is occupied.
- Trade when you are ahead. Swapping piece for piece makes your extra piece count for more.
- Use the forced capture rule. Offer a piece as a sacrifice so your opponent must jump and land where you can win back two or more pieces.
- Crown a king early. A king attacks from behind and is hard to trap, so one king often decides the game.
- In the endgame, keep your kings active and avoid being cornered. A side that is behind can sometimes still hold a draw, so never give up early.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is checkers the same as draughts?
Mostly, yes. Draughts is the British name and checkers is the American name for the same family of games. Standard English draughts and American checkers are almost identical 8x8 games. International draughts is different, with a 10x10 board, backward-capturing men and flying kings.
Do you have to jump in checkers?
Yes. In American, English and international rules, captures are mandatory. If a jump is available on your turn, you must take it. If you have several choices, American rules let you pick any. International draughts requires the sequence that captures the most pieces.
Who moves first in checkers?
In American and English rules, Black, the dark pieces, moves first. Some sets use red and black, so the first player is the side playing the dark color. In international and Russian draughts, White moves first instead.
How does a piece become a king?
A man becomes a king by reaching the farthest row from its starting side. The piece is crowned, usually by placing another piece on top. In American rules a king can move and capture both forward and backward, one diagonal square at a time.
What is the difference between 8x8 and 10x10 checkers?
The American 8x8 version uses 12 pieces each, and men capture only forward. The 10x10 international version uses 20 pieces each, lets men capture backward, and has flying kings that travel any distance. The larger board also makes games longer and more tactical.
How can I get better at checkers?
Start by controlling the center, keeping your back row, and moving pieces in supported pairs. Before every move, check which captures your opponent will be forced to make. Once the planned computer opponent is ready, it should be a good way to practice these ideas.