1 Setup
Use an 8×8 board. Each player has 12 pieces, one player uses dark pieces, the other light. Place pieces on the dark squares of the first three rows on each side. The row closest to each player gets filled first. Dark squares only are used throughout the game.
The player with dark pieces moves first (in standard American Checkers).
2 Movement
Regular pieces (non-Kings) move diagonally forward only, one square at a time, to an unoccupied dark square. They cannot move backward.
You may only move one piece per turn (unless making multiple jumps, see below).
3 Jumping
Jump an opponent's piece by moving diagonally over it to the empty square immediately beyond. The jumped piece is captured and removed from the board.
Forced jumps: If any of your pieces can make a legal jump, you must jump. You cannot choose to make a non-jump move when a jump is available. If multiple pieces can jump, you choose which one moves.
Multiple jumps: If after landing from a jump, the same piece can jump again, it must continue jumping (in the same turn) until no further jumps are possible. Captured pieces are removed after the complete sequence.
Regular pieces may only jump forward. Kings may jump in any diagonal direction.
4 Kings
When your piece reaches the farthest row from your starting side (your opponent's back row), it is kinged. Place a second piece on top of it or mark it somehow. Your turn ends immediately when you king a piece, even if a jump would be available.
Kings move and jump diagonally in any direction (forward or backward), one square at a time for regular moves. They must still obey forced jump rules.
5 Winning
You win by either:
- Capturing all of your opponent's pieces, OR
- Leaving your opponent with no legal moves on their turn (all pieces are blocked)
If neither player can make progress, the game may be declared a draw by mutual agreement. Tournament Checkers uses a 40-move rule (draw after 40 moves without a capture).
6 Strategy Tips
Control the Center
Pieces in the center control more squares and threaten more jumps than pieces on the edge. Push toward the center in the opening.
King Early
Kings are twice as powerful as regular pieces. Sacrificing a piece to force a king sooner can be worth it. Protect your back row, if your opponent can't king, they can't gain that power advantage.
Force Your Opponent's Jumps
Since jumps are mandatory, you can manipulate your opponent's moves. Set up positions where they must jump into a trap, giving you a multi-jump sequence in return.
Trade to Win
If you have more Kings than your opponent, even trading reduces your disadvantage. An equal trade (1 for 1) when you're ahead in material is almost always good.
Don't Leave Pieces on the Edge
Edge pieces can only be attacked from one side, which sounds safe, but they have fewer escape routes and can't participate in as many exchanges. Keep pieces mobile.
7 Common Variants
International Draughts (10×10)
Played on a 10×10 board with 20 pieces each. Key differences: pieces may capture backwards before being kinged; Kings ("flying kings") may move multiple squares diagonally like a chess bishop; the longest capture sequence is mandatory (must take as many pieces as possible).
Misère (Losing Checkers / Suicide Checkers)
The goal is reversed, you try to lose all your pieces or be put in a position with no moves. All standard rules apply, but the player who runs out of pieces first wins.
Flying Kings (American variant)
A popular house rule: Kings may move any number of squares diagonally (like international draughts), rather than just one. This makes Kings dramatically more powerful.
8 English vs. Spanish Draughts
The two most common rule sets for 8x8 checkers differ in several key ways:
| Rule | English/American | Spanish Draughts |
|---|---|---|
| King movement | 1 square any diagonal | Multiple squares (flying) |
| Regular piece backward capture | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Must take longest jump | Not required | Required |
| Captured pieces removed | After entire sequence | After entire sequence |
| King can jump backward | Yes | Yes |
International Draughts (10x10 board) goes further: flying kings, backward captures for regular pieces in some variants, and mandatory longest jump. The World Draughts Federation governs international championship play on the 10x10 board.
9 Draw Conditions
Checkers games can end in a draw under several conditions:
- Mutual agreement, Either player may propose a draw; the other may accept or decline.
- 40-move rule, In tournament play, if 40 consecutive moves are made with no capture and no piece advancement (no regular piece moved toward kinging), either player may claim a draw.
- Three-repetition rule, In many rule sets, if the same position occurs three times with the same player to move, the game is a draw.
- No progress position, If a position is reached where neither player can make progress (typically two kings vs. one king in a corner), the game may be ruled a draw after a set number of moves.
Checkers is a solved game: In 2007, researchers at the University of Alberta announced that Checkers had been solved computationally. With perfect play by both sides, the game always ends in a draw. This was announced in the journal Science.
10 Advanced Strategy
The Triangle Formation
A defensive structure used to protect your back rank and deny your opponent kings. Place pieces on squares 1, 2, and 3 (the back row) and square 5 or 6. This triangle guards the king row while maintaining flexibility.
The Bridge Formation
Two pieces placed on your back two corner squares (1 and 3) form a bridge. An opponent's king cannot easily penetrate this formation, giving you endgame stability.
Opposition
In king-vs-king endgames, "opposition" means placing your king directly in front of your opponent's king. The player who holds opposition forces the other to move aside, gaining board control. Opposition is the core concept in checkers endgame theory.
The Dog Hole
Square 4 (bottom left corner for the dark player in standard American numbering) is sometimes called the dog hole. A piece trapped there by an opponent's king is immobilized. Driving opponent pieces into corners is an effective endgame strategy.
Force Exchanges on Your Terms
Forced jump sequences can be set up many moves in advance. Look 3 to 5 moves ahead to create positions where your opponent's mandatory jump leads them into a losing sequence. This is the essence of intermediate Checkers strategy.
11 Tournament Rules
The American Checker Federation (ACF), formerly the National Checkers Association, governs competitive Checkers in the United States. Key tournament rules include:
- The three-move restriction is used in major tournaments: opening moves are randomly assigned from a set of prescribed three-move openings to prevent memorized sequences dominating play.
- Timed games: typically 5 minutes per player in speed checkers, up to 30 minutes in correspondence-style events.
- Touch-move rule strictly enforced: if you touch a piece, you must move it.
- The 11-man ballot system for determining opening positions is used at the highest level of play.
- Players must use red and white pieces on a green and buff board at official ACF events.
12 Wrong House Rules
- Jumping is optional, In official Checkers rules, if any of your pieces can make a legal jump, you MUST jump. You cannot choose a non-capturing move when a jump is available. This is the most commonly misunderstood rule.
- Kings can capture without landing adjacent, In standard American/English Checkers, kings move and jump exactly one square at a time. The "flying king" (moving multiple squares like a bishop) is an international draughts rule, not the default American rule.
- You can stack multiple captures in any direction, Regular pieces may only jump forward. Even in a multi-jump sequence, a regular piece cannot jump backward. Only kings may jump in any direction.
- Kinged piece can immediately continue jumping, When a piece is kinged by reaching the back row, the turn ends immediately, even if a jump would be available from the new king position. You must wait until your next turn to use the king's full abilities.
13 History of Checkers
Checkers (called Draughts outside North America) is one of the oldest games in the world. A form of the game was found in ancient Mesopotamia around 3000 BC. The modern form developed in 12th-century France, where it was called "Fierges" or "Jeu de dames." The game was played on a chess board using chess pieces.
The mandatory jump rule was introduced in France around 1535, significantly changing strategy. The game spread to England, where it became known as Draughts (from the Old English "dragan," to draw or move). English settlers brought it to America, where it became "Checkers."
In 1847, the first major checkers book was published. By the late 1800s, competitive Checkers was widely organized, with national championships held in the US and UK. The game became notably difficult to excel at: checkers champion Marion Tinsley (1927-1995) is considered the greatest board game player of any game in history, losing only 7 games in 45 years of competitive play.
In 1994, Tinsley faced the Chinook computer program in a World Championship match. After 6 draws, Tinsley withdrew due to illness. In 2007, the University of Alberta team announced that Chinook had solved Checkers completely, making it the most complex game to be solved by a computer at that time.
14 Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I do not take a mandatory jump?
In informal play, your opponent can point it out and you must go back and take the jump (this is called a "huff" in some rule sets). In tournament play, jumping over an available capture is an illegal move and must be corrected. In some older rules, the non-jumping piece was removed ("huffed") as a penalty.
Can I choose which piece to jump with if multiple pieces can jump?
Yes. If more than one of your pieces can make a legal jump, you may choose which one to move. You are only required to make some jump, not a specific one.
If I have multiple jump paths available, must I take the longest one?
Not in standard American Checkers. You may choose any available jump path. The mandatory-longest-jump rule applies in Spanish and International Draughts but not in the American game.
Does a piece get kinged mid-jump?
No. If a piece reaches the king row during a multi-jump sequence, it is kinged but the turn ends immediately. It cannot continue jumping as a king on that turn.
Can two pieces occupy the same square?
No. Only one piece per square at all times.
What is the starting color?
Pieces are placed on dark squares only. The player with dark/red pieces moves first in standard American Checkers.
Can a king be captured by a regular piece?
Yes. A regular piece can jump a king if the king is on an adjacent diagonal square and the landing square beyond is empty. Kings are not invulnerable.
Is Checkers solved?
Yes. In 2007, researchers at the University of Alberta proved that Checkers, with perfect play by both sides, always results in a draw. The computer program Chinook can play perfect Checkers.
🎲 House Rules
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