Setting up
Each player puts 12 pieces on the dark squares of the three rows nearest to them. The two middle rows start empty. Red (or black) moves first.
Moving
- A normal piece (a man) moves one square diagonally forward onto an empty dark square.
- A king moves one square diagonally in any direction, forward or back.
Jumping (capturing)
- If an enemy piece is diagonally next to yours with an empty square behind it, you jump over it and remove it.
- Jumps are compulsory. If you can jump, you must. When there is more than one jump, you may choose which.
- After a jump, if the same piece can jump again, it must keep going in one turn. That is a multi-jump.
- Men jump forward only. Kings can jump both ways.
Kings
When a man reaches the far row, it is crowned and becomes a king, and that move ends there. Kings are much stronger because they can move and jump backwards.
Winning and draws
- You win when your opponent has no pieces left or no legal move.
- It is a draw after 40 moves each with no capture and no man moving, when the same position comes up three times, or with one king against one king.
Tips
- Keep your back row filled for as long as you can. It stops your opponent getting kings.
- Pieces in the middle of the board have more choices than pieces on the edge.
- Because jumps are forced, you can offer one piece to pull an enemy piece into a spot where you take two.
Ready to play?Checkers is free on phone, tablet and computer.
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