Checkers (Draughts)
Jump and capture on the diagonals, against the computer or a friend
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Play checkers, also called draughts, by the English and American rules on an 8×8 board, against the computer or with a second person on the same screen. Pieces move diagonally and capture by jumping over enemy pieces.
How to use
- Under "Opponent", choose "Computer" or "Two players, one screen". Against the computer, also choose "You play" and "Computer level".
- Tap a piece with a yellow outline, then tap a marked square. For a multiple jump, tap each landing square in turn.
- To take back a move, press "Undo". Against the computer, this also takes back the computer's reply.
- Press "New game" to start again.
How it works
- Ordinary pieces move one square diagonally forward. A piece that reaches the far row becomes a king and can also move backwards. Capturing is compulsory when possible; you can turn this rule off in the options.
- You lose when all your pieces are taken or you have no legal move. On this page, forty moves by each side without a capture is a draw.
- You can also play with the keyboard: the arrow keys move the cursor and Enter selects a piece and a square. The game in progress and your settings are saved in this browser.
Questions and answers
- Do you have to capture in checkers?
- Yes, under the standard rules. If the same piece can jump again after a capture it must continue, but you do not have to choose the sequence that takes the most pieces.
- How does a king move in checkers?
- A king moves and captures one square diagonally, forwards or backwards. Being crowned ends the move.
- Who moves first in checkers?
- Dark moves first. If you choose "Light" under "You play" against the computer, the computer makes the first move.
- How is international draughts different?
- International draughts uses a 10×10 board, ordinary pieces may capture backwards, kings move any distance, and you must take the largest number of pieces. This page supports only the 8×8 English and American rules.