This site plays English draughts, the 8×8 game known as checkers in the United States. Each side starts with twelve pieces and plays only on the dark squares. Black moves first, and a capture is mandatory whenever one is available. The sections below follow the order of a real game and spell out the jump, crowning, and draw rules that most often cause confusion.
The board is 8×8, and Black moves first
The board has sixty-four squares, but only the thirty-two dark squares are used. Each side places twelve men on the three dark rows nearest that player. Black makes the first move, and the players alternate from there. A light square can never hold a piece or serve as a landing square.
Men move forward and capture forward
An uncrowned man moves one square diagonally forward onto an adjacent empty dark square. To capture, it jumps an adjacent enemy on a forward diagonal and lands on the empty square immediately beyond. The jumped piece is removed from the board.
Under the rules used here, a man cannot move or capture backward. Backward movement and backward captures become available only after the piece is crowned.
Captures are mandatory, but the route is your choice
If any of your pieces has a legal capture, you must make a capturing move instead of a quiet step. When several legal routes are available, you may choose any of them. English draughts does not require the route that captures the greatest number of pieces.
Once a jump begins, only that piece may continue moving during the turn. It must keep jumping while another legal capture is available from its new square, unless it reaches the king row and is crowned during the sequence.
A king still moves one square at a time
A man becomes a king when it reaches the farthest row. A king may move one square diagonally forward or backward and may capture in either direction. It does not fly along an open diagonal. If a man reaches the king row during a multi-jump, it is crowned and the turn ends immediately; the new king cannot continue jumping until its next turn.
How a game is won or drawn
You win by capturing every opposing piece or by leaving the opponent with no legal move on their turn. The players may also agree to a draw.
This site also declares a no-progress draw after forty full moves by both sides with no capture and no crowning. Any capture or newly crowned king resets the count.
Checkers rules FAQ
Which checkers rules does this site use?
This site uses 8×8 English draughts, commonly called American checkers in the United States. Each side starts with twelve pieces on the dark squares and wins by taking every opposing piece or leaving the opponent without a legal move.
Must I choose the route that captures the most pieces?
English draughts has no maximum-capture rule. You may choose any available legal route. After a multi-jump begins, the same piece must complete that route.
Can a man move or capture backward?
A man moves and captures forward only. Once it reaches the farthest row and becomes a king, it may move and capture both forward and backward.
Does a newly crowned king continue a multi-jump?
A man that reaches the king row during a capture is crowned immediately, and the turn ends on that square. The new king must wait until its next turn before making another capture.
When does the no-progress draw apply?
The game is drawn after forty full moves by both sides with no capture and no crowning. A capture or newly crowned king restarts the count.