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Checkers

You
0
Computer
0
Draws
0

Your move. Tap a piece, then a dot.

How do you play checkers?

Move a piece one square diagonally forward, and jump over an enemy piece to take it. If you can jump, you must, and the same piece keeps jumping while it can. A piece that reaches the far row becomes a king and moves backward too. Take all the other side's pieces, or leave it with no move, to win.

How to play checkers

  1. Each side starts with 12 pieces on the dark squares of the 3 rows nearest to it. Black moves first.
  2. On your turn, move one piece one square diagonally forward, to an empty dark square.
  3. Jump over an enemy piece next to yours to the empty square behind it. The piece you jump over is taken.
  4. If you can jump, you must. After a jump, the same piece keeps jumping while it can.
  5. A piece that reaches the far row becomes a king. A king moves and jumps backward as well as forward.
  6. Take all the other side's pieces, or leave it with no move, to win.

Jumps and kings

  • A jump is a must. When you can jump, the pieces that can jump glow, and no other move is allowed.
  • When there is more than one jump, you pick which one. You don't have to take the one that captures the most.
  • A double jump is one move: tap or drag the piece to each landing square in turn.
  • A piece that jumps onto the far row becomes a king, and its move ends there, even if a king could jump again.
  • A king moves one square at a time, on any diagonal. It does not fly across the board as in international draughts.

How a game of checkers ends

  • You win when the other side has no pieces left, or no legal move.
  • The game is a draw when the same position comes up for the third time with the same player to move.
  • The game is also a draw after 40 moves by each player with no jump and only kings moving.

In a tournament, a referee decides such draws. This game calls them for you, so an endgame of kings does not go on forever.

Controls

  • Phone and tablet: tap a piece, then tap a dot. Or drag the piece.
  • Computer and Chromebook: click a piece and then a square, or drag it with the mouse.
  • Keyboard: press Tab to reach the board, move between the dark squares with the arrow keys, and press Enter.

Tips to win at checkers

  • Keep the pieces on your back row as long as you can. They stop the other side from getting kings.
  • Take the middle of the board. A piece in the middle has more moves than one on the edge.
  • Move your pieces in pairs, so each one guards the other from a jump.
  • Look for a forced jump that you can give away on purpose, so the other side lands where you can jump twice.
  • When you are ahead, trade pieces one for one. Fewer pieces make your lead count more.

Questions

Is checkers unblocked here? Does it work on a school Chromebook?

It is a normal web page on lifesim.com with nothing to download, so it runs in Chrome on a Chromebook. Some school filters block every game site, so we can't promise that yours allows it. Once the page is open, the game needs no network.

Do you have to jump in checkers?

Yes. In the official rules a jump is a must: if you can jump, you must, and the same piece keeps jumping while it can. When there is more than one jump, you pick which one. You don't have to take the one that captures the most.

Who goes first in checkers?

The darker side moves first in the official rules, so Black starts here. Against the computer, pick Black to move first, or Red to let the computer start.

Can a king move backward in checkers?

Yes. A king moves and jumps one square diagonally in any direction. A piece that is not a king moves and jumps forward only.

How good is the computer?

It is a small program that we wrote for this page. Easy makes mistakes on purpose, Medium looks a few moves ahead, and Hard looks furthest ahead and answers in under a second. Your wins against each level stay in this browser.

Is checkers solved?

Yes. In 2007 a team at the University of Alberta led by Jonathan Schaeffer showed with their program Chinook that perfect play by both sides ends in a draw.

Can I send a game to a friend?

Yes. Share position sends a link to the board as it is now, and your friend plays on from there against the computer. After a game against the computer, Share sends your result and the level.

Are checkers and draughts the same game?

Yes. Checkers is the American name. In Britain the same game is called draughts, or English draughts. International draughts is a different game on a 10 by 10 board.

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