Complete Guide
Everything you need to know — from basic moves to advanced endgame techniques.
Controls
Mouse: Click a piece, then click the target square — or drag and drop.
Touch: Tap a piece, then tap the destination — or drag across the board.
Highlights: Valid moves are highlighted when you select a piece.
Rules
Standard American checkers (English draughts) rules apply.
Checkers is played on an 8×8 board with alternating dark and light squares. Each player starts with 12 pieces placed on the dark squares of the three rows closest to their side. The board is oriented so each player has a dark square in the bottom-left corner.
Regular pieces (men) move one square diagonally forward onto an unoccupied dark square. You can only move to dark squares — pieces never land on light squares. Players alternate turns, with the player controlling the darker pieces moving first.
If an opponent's piece is on an adjacent diagonal square and the square beyond it is empty, you must jump over and capture that piece. The captured piece is removed from the board. If another capture is available after landing, you must continue jumping — this is called a multi-jump or chain capture.
Capturing is mandatory in standard checkers. If a jump is available on your turn, you must take it. If multiple jumps are possible, you may choose which one to make, but you cannot opt for a regular move instead of a capture.
When a piece reaches the furthest row (the opponent's back rank), it is "crowned" and becomes a king. Kings can move and capture both forward and backward diagonally, making them significantly more powerful than regular pieces.
You win by capturing all of your opponent's pieces or by blocking them so they have no legal moves remaining. If neither player can force a win, the game may end in a draw.
Tips & Tricks
Pieces in the centre of the board have more mobility and can influence more squares. Try to occupy central diagonal lanes early in the game. Pieces stuck on the edges have fewer options and are easier to trap.
Avoid moving your back-row pieces too early. Keeping them in place prevents your opponent from easily crowning their pieces. The back row acts as a defensive wall — only advance when you have a clear strategic reason.
If you have more pieces than your opponent, try to exchange pieces equally. Every even trade increases your relative advantage. With fewer pieces on the board, your material lead becomes harder for your opponent to overcome.
Before making a move, look two or three turns ahead. Ask yourself: "If I move here, what will my opponent do? Will I lose a piece?" Developing this habit is the single most important step to improving your checkers game.
Advanced Play
A fork places one of your pieces in a position where it threatens two or more of your opponent's pieces simultaneously. No matter which piece they try to save, you capture the other. Forks are one of the most common winning tactics in checkers.
Sometimes giving up a piece deliberately sets up a devastating multi-jump on your next turn. Before dismissing a "bad" move, check whether sacrificing it opens up a sequence of captures that leaves you with a net advantage.
In the endgame, a single king versus two kings is usually a loss. Learn to corner your opponent's lone king using coordinated king movements. Push the opposing king toward the edge of the board and cut off its escape diagonals.
In king-vs-king endgames, the concept of "opposition" (controlling who must move) is critical. The player forced to move may have to step into a losing position. Understanding opposition is what separates intermediate players from advanced ones.
Quick Answers
No. In standard American checkers, regular pieces (men) can only move diagonally forward. Only kings — pieces that have reached the opposite back row — can move and capture in both directions.
If all of your remaining pieces are blocked and none can make a legal move, you lose the game. This is one of two ways to win in checkers — by capturing all pieces or by blocking them entirely.
Yes. If after a jump another capture is available with the same piece, you must continue jumping. You cannot stop midway through a multi-jump sequence.