How to Play Checkers & Draughts

Checkers (also called Draughts) is a classic two-player strategy game played on an 8x8 board of alternating dark and light squares. Only the dark squares are used during gameplay. Each player begins with 12 pieces, placed on the three rows closest to them. The objective is to either capture all of the opponent’s pieces or block them so they can no longer move.

This game encourages strategic thinking, planning ahead, and anticipating your opponent’s moves. It is easy to pick up but offers a surprising depth of tactics, making it enjoyable for both beginners and experienced players.

The Equipment

The Board: The game is played on a square board made up of 64 alternating dark and light squares, with 8 rows and 8 columns. Only the dark squares are used for movement and placement of pieces. When set up, the bottom-left square should always be dark.

Starting Position: At the start of the game, each player places 12 pieces on the dark squares of the three rows closest to their side, ensuring the bottom-left square is
dark. This leaves the middle two rows empty. The formation should create three full lines of pieces for each player, facing each other across the board.

Men (Basic Pieces): The game begins with standard discs called "men." These move diagonally forward one square at a time.

Kings: If a man reaches the opposite end of the board (the opponent's back row), it becomes a king. Kings are either marked with a second stacked piece or flipped over,
depending on the set. Kings can move diagonally forward and backward one square at a time. When capturing, they may make multiple jumps in both directions.

Gameplay

Checkers is turn-based, and the player controlling the dark-colored pieces always moves first. Each turn consists of either moving a piece or capturing an opponent’s piece.

Movement: Men move one space diagonally forward onto an adjacent dark square. Pieces cannot move onto light squares and cannot move backward unless they are kings.

Capturing: If an opponent’s piece is diagonally adjacent and the space beyond it (on the same diagonal line) is vacant, the player must jump over that piece and land on the empty square, removing the opponent’s piece from the board. The jumped piece is removed from the board.

Multiple Jumps: If after a capture another jump is possible, the player must continue the sequence during the same turn. This applies to both men and kings.

Must Capture Rule: If a capture is available, the player is required to take it. If multiple capture options are available, the player may choose any path, but must complete the
entire sequence.

Crowning (Kinging): When a man reaches the furthest row on the opponent’s side, it is crowned and becomes a king. Kings may move and capture diagonally forward and
backward, but only one square at a time, except during jumps.

Winning the Game

The game ends under one of the following conditions:

All opponent’s pieces are captured: The opponent has no remaining pieces.

No valid moves remain: The opponent has pieces but cannot make any legal moves.

If neither player can achieve victory due to repeated patterns or balanced positions, the game is declared a draw by mutual agreement or by draw rules. A draw can also be declared if the
same sequence of moves is repeated three times, or if 40 consecutive moves occur without a capture or crowning (kinging).

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