Checkers
Classic draughts, force captures, chain multi-jumps and crown Kings against a minimax AI or a friend.
Classic draughts, force captures, chain multi-jumps and crown Kings against a minimax AI or a friend.
Learn the rules of Checkers and the tactics that win, then take on the AI or a friend in the board above.
Checkers, also called draughts, is played on the dark squares of an 8x8 board. You win by capturing all of your opponent's pieces or leaving them with no legal move.
Reach the far row and your piece is crowned a King. Kings move and capture both forward and backward, which makes them far more powerful in the endgame.
Pieces in the middle of the board have more available moves and captures than pieces stuck on the edge. Push toward the centre early.
Because captures are compulsory, you can offer a piece as bait so your opponent is forced to jump into a position where you win two pieces back. Trading one to take two is the engine of most checkers wins.
Keeping your home row intact stops the opponent from making Kings. Give it up only when you gain a clear advantage.
If you are up material, swapping pieces evenly makes your advantage bigger relative to what is left on the board.
Checkers is played on the dark squares of an 8x8 board. Pieces move one square diagonally forward and capture by jumping over an adjacent enemy piece to the empty square beyond. Captures are compulsory, and reaching the far row crowns a King that can move both directions. You win by capturing all enemy pieces or leaving your opponent with no move.
Yes. If you have a legal jump available you must take it, and if the landing square offers another jump you must continue the same turn. This forced-capture rule is central to Checkers strategy because you can use it to set traps.
A King is a piece that has reached the opponent's back row and been crowned. Unlike an ordinary piece it can move and capture diagonally both forward and backward, making it much stronger, especially in the endgame.
Control the centre, keep your back row intact to stop the opponent from making Kings, and use forced captures to trade one piece for two. When you are ahead on material, trade pieces evenly to simplify toward a win.