How do you play Checkers?
Each side starts with 12 pieces on the dark squares of an 8×8 board. Pieces move one square diagonally forward and capture by jumping over an enemy piece. You win by capturing all of your opponent's pieces or leaving them with no legal move.
These are the standard rules of English draughts, called checkers in North America. Red moves first, and against the computer you play red from the bottom.
How do pieces move and capture?
- Moving: A regular piece moves one square diagonally forward, never backward.
- Jumping: If an enemy piece sits diagonally next to you and the square beyond it is empty, jump over it to capture. Regular pieces only jump forward.
- Forced capture: If you can jump, you must. When there are several ways to capture, you may pick any of them.
- Multi jumps: If the same piece can jump again from where it lands, it keeps jumping until no more captures are possible.
- Kings: A piece that reaches the far row is crowned. Kings move and jump one square diagonally forward or backward. Getting crowned in the middle of a jump ends the move.
- Draws: If 80 moves in total pass with no capture and no regular piece moving, the game is drawn.
Can I turn off forced capture?
Yes. Pick Forced capture off on the start screen and you can make a quiet move even when a jump is available. Once you start jumping, though, you still finish the whole sequence. Official rules play with forced capture on.
How strong is the computer?
| Level | How it plays |
|---|---|
| Easy | Looks two moves ahead and plays a random move about three times in ten |
| Normal | Reads four moves ahead, weighing material and advancement |
| Hard | Alpha beta search at least six moves deep, up to twelve when time allows |
Strategy tips
- Guard your back row. While it stays filled, your opponent has a hard time getting a king.
- Keep pieces together. Two pieces backed up on a diagonal cannot be jumped because the landing square is blocked.
- Use forced capture as bait. Offer one piece so your opponent must take it, then jump two in return.
- Trade when ahead. Even swaps make a lead in material count for more and more.
- Hold the center. Edge pieces only have half the moves and get trapped easily.
Your record against each computer level and your forced capture and move hint settings are saved in this browser.