Checkers

How to play Checkers

Checkers, also called draughts, is played on the dark squares of an 8×8 board with twelve pieces a side. Pieces move one square diagonally forward and capture by jumping over an enemy piece onto the empty square behind it.

Captures are compulsory, and if the same piece can jump again it must keep going. A piece that reaches the far row is crowned a king and can then move and capture backwards as well. You win by capturing every enemy piece or leaving your opponent with no legal move.

• Players 1 or 2
• Mode Against the computer, or two players on one device
• Plays on Phone, tablet and desktop
• Price Free, no sign-up

Checkers rules

• Pieces move one square diagonally forward onto an empty dark square.
• You capture by jumping over an adjacent enemy piece onto the empty square beyond.
• Captures are compulsory, and a piece that can jump again must continue.
• A piece reaching the far row becomes a king and may move backwards too.
• A player with no pieces or no legal move loses.
• Forty moves each without a capture or a move by an uncrowned piece is a draw.

Controls

Click / tap a piece

Pick it up; pieces that can move are ringed

Click / tap a marked square

Move or jump there

Multi-jumps

Keep choosing squares until the jump is finished

Arrow keys + Enter

Move around the board and select

U

Undo your last move

N

Start a new game

Checkers questions