Checkers games are often decided before the forced jump
By the time the last checker comes off the board, the result is obvious. The useful move to revisit happened earlier: it gave the other side a forced jump and took away your alternatives. This is American checkers on an 8×8 board, with twelve checkers per side. The AI searches future moves in your browser, with levels from beginner through master. Use a hint to check a landing square, undo to compare another route, and replay to find the first move that left you answering instead of choosing.
Ask four questions before every move
Is there a capture I have to take?
If any of your checkers can jump, an ordinary diagonal move is off the table. Find every checker that can capture. If the same piece can jump again after landing, include the rest of that sequence in your calculation.
What jump does this give my opponent?
Winning one checker is not automatically a good trade. Look at the empty squares around the landing spot, especially whether the reply forces another capture or opens a path toward your back row.
If several jumps are legal, which landing square is safer?
American checkers does not require the line that captures the most pieces. Compare the exits from each landing square, the condition of your back row, and whether another checker will still be close enough to help.
Where should I stop the replay?
Start with the first forced jump you missed, the first back-row gap you created, or the move that allowed a king. The final capture shows what happened. The earlier choice explains why.
Keep an eye on the back row as the opening spreads out
The checkers begin packed together, which limits movement but also gives them support. Your back row blocks easy promotion squares. Before moving forward, look at what the move leaves behind: whether neighboring checkers still protect one another, whether a new capture appears, and whether the back row now has a clear hole. Central squares usually offer more ways to turn, but the real value comes from keeping your checkers connected.
Choose an AI level that lets you read the position
If forced jumps still slip past you, use Beginner until checking for captures becomes automatic. Move to Medium when you can follow a trade and inspect the next jump from the landing square. Hard and Master spend more time searching and work best once you can name at least two candidate routes yourself. The right level should create useful pressure without rushing you past the reason for a move.
Read both jumps from c3 before choosing
The black checker on c3 can jump the white checker on b4 and land on a5, or jump d4 and land on e5. Both routes are legal. Counting the immediate capture is only the start. From each landing square, ask whether White can jump back, whether your back row still has cover, and whether another black checker can support the next move. Use the hint to check your candidate, then undo and play both routes if you want to compare the resulting positions.
8×8Dark squares and forced captures
AI levelsSearch runs in your browser
4-pieceEndgame table for closing positions
ReplayHints, undo, and full-game review
Frequently asked questions
Which checkers rules does this site use, and how do you win?
The site uses American checkers, also known as English draughts, on an 8×8 board. Each side starts with twelve checkers, Black moves first, and captures are mandatory. A checker that reaches the far row becomes a king. You win by capturing every opposing checker or leaving the other side with no legal move.
How does the AI choose a move?
The AI searches in a dedicated browser worker using iterative deepening and alpha-beta pruning. It also uses an opening book, pattern evaluation, and a four-piece endgame table. Each level changes the search depth, time budget, and move selection. The position stays on your device rather than being uploaded to a game server.
Why can a normal-looking position lose several checkers on the next turn?
An earlier move probably placed a checker inside a forced capture sequence. Once the opponent jumps, the same piece must continue if another capture is available from its landing square. In the replay, stop before the first jump and compare the landing squares your previous move made available.
Why will the board not accept my ordinary diagonal move?
If any checker on your side has a legal capture, every ordinary move is temporarily unavailable. Select a checker that can jump, then choose the empty square beyond the opposing piece. If another capture is available after landing, continue with the same checker.
When several captures are available, do I have to take the longest one?
No. American checkers does not use a maximum-capture rule. You may choose any legal capture route. In the position above, the black checker on c3 may land on either a5 or e5; the better choice depends on what each landing square allows next.
How should I use hint, undo, and replay together?
Find one or two candidate landing squares before asking for a hint. If the suggestion differs, check for a forced capture or follow-up jump you missed. Undo lets you play both routes and compare the resulting positions. Replay is most useful when you stop at the first move that forced you to respond.
Do I need an account or a constant internet connection to play the AI?
No account is required. Once the page and board have loaded, the AI continues calculating on your device, so the current game can finish without a connection. Same-device play is local as well; only online rooms require network access.
Can I play American checkers with a friend?
Yes. Two people in the same place can share one device and take turns. If you are apart, create a temporary room and send the link. Once your friend takes the other seat, each confirmed move appears on both boards.
If a man reaches the king row during a capture sequence, does it keep jumping?
No. The man becomes a king as soon as it lands on the far row, and the turn ends there. Even if the new king could capture from that square, it must wait until its next turn.
What happens if neither side captures for a long time?
The game is drawn after forty full moves with no capture and no promotion. Any capture or newly crowned king resets that count.