Click on a piece to start your move.

Play Draughts Online

Checkers, variant of Draughts (drafts), is by far one of the most played board games in the world after Chess. Its a fun and challenging two-players game for all ages with friends. You can play it as a beginner or expert, for free or for money, on a checkers-board or online against a computer and even on your android phone, iOS or iPad.

Checkers rules (online / offline)

Checkers is an online or offline board game played by 2 persons, each one on a side. One of them with the dark pieces, and the other with the light ones. Opponents, in alternate turns, should not touch his opponent’s pieces. All the moves must be made with one piece in the diagonal dark empty squares. A jump can be made only if the opponent’s piece is in an adjacent filed, with the one immediately beyond is unoccupied. Once this piece is jumped (over it), it must be removed from the gameboard.

The players is not free to move or jump on all the game-board’s squares, only the dark ones are used. If a square, in a diagonal line, is empty you are free to move to it. If you valid capturing possibility, you must take it because in most official rules (except some of them) capturing is obligatory.

Purpose of the game

To play and win a checkers game, in most of the variants, the player must capture all his opponent’s pieces and remove them from the board. Or he must block them and prevent his enemy to make any valid move or capture. And the player with all his pieces being eaten or are being blocked and is not free to make a move, loses.

Simple pieces

A simple piece (men, also called pawn or stone) move only one square forward in diagonal lines, and capture any of the opponent’s pieces by jumping to the empty square beyond it. A simple piece can make multi-jumps in one turn. A capture in a multi-jumps way is possible when finishing a simple capture you have another possible valid capture, then you can continue jumping. These captures can be done in the same line or in zigzag.

Kings

When a simple piece lands on a square in the last row starting from your side of the board, it becomes a king. A king is differentiated from a simple piece by placing an another simple piece on top of it. It acquires, then, more power with the ability to make backwards moves and captures. It’s also free to make multi-jumps, the same way as simple pieces.

In other game variants like international draughts, a king can make a flying move any distance in a line of unoccupied squares, always diagonally. It can do so to capture an opponent piece by flying to any empty fields next to it. The captured pieces cannot be removed from the checkers-board until finishing the player’s turn.

How to play Checkers online / with friends

Checkers is a game played, online or on a board, by two different colors pieces, generally black and white, one on each side. The strategy you have to develop with your 12 pieces on a 8×8 checkers-board makes all the difference. So, to play and win the game, the captures can be made by jumping over the valid enemy’s pieces to be eaten. However, all moves must be in a diagonal line through the black squares of a board of 64 or 100 squares with the intention of capturing (eating).

There are many variants rules to play checkers online, with different gameboards and different number of pieces. The international checkers version « Polish draughts », is regulated by the FMJD, Fédération Mondiale du Jeu de Dames. In this variant, the each player has 20 stone on a 10 × 10 board.

Checkers instructions and strategies

Checkers is a two players online game or on a board of 64 squares of 8×8 cells. The is set up so that every one has a black square in its lower left row on his side. The 12 pieces (of the same color) are set in the black fields of the first 3 rows. The player with the clear (white) chips stats the fist move, then the other player and so on, alternately. To win the game, you have to capture or block the opponent’s pieces so that your enemy can not make any move.

When the game is considered a draw?

  • If the game is blocked and no one of the players can make a move.
  • If both players have only one single piece.
  • If the moves are repetitive and there is no way to force a win

When the game ends?

A checkers game ends when the player find himself in one of these situations:

  • When a player has no pieces to play with, all have been eaten by his enemy, he lose.
  • When a player cannot play with his pieces, all have been blocked by his enemy, he lose.

Checkers against the computer (online / offline)

The first program that the human has developed to play checkers against the computer is “Chinook”. It is a computer program that plays English checkers. It was developed between 1989 and 2007 at the University of Alberta, by a team led by Jonathan Schaeffer and including Rob Lake, Paul Lu, Martin Bryant, and Norman Treloar. In 2007, he proved that the game necessarily ends in a draw between two perfect players.

Chinook’s gaming algorithm provides a repository of openings, made of moves played at the beginning of grandmaster games; an algorithm for exploring deep variants; a move quality evaluation function; and an end position database of all positions with eight pieces or less. The evaluation function, which is manually optimized, is a linear combination of multiple position variables, such as the count of pieces and queens, the availability of unsecured promotion ways, or the locking of certain pieces. All of Chinook’s learning has been developed by its founders, not through artificial intelligence tools.

Chinook is the first computer software to have taken the world championship title in a strategy game competition versus human players. In 1990, it gained the right to compete in the (human) world championship by finishing second after Marion Tinsley in the U.S. national championship. The English checker federations were at first opposed to the involvement of a computer in human competitions, but when Tinsley gave up his title in protest, the ACF and EDA created a new title, checkers against computer World Championship, and the match was played. Tinsley won it by four wins to two, with 33 draws.

Checkers Variants

Variant Armenian Draughts Malaysian / Singaporean checkers Italian Draughts Turkish Draughts American Pool Checkers Czech Checkers Brazilian Checkers Canadian Checkers International Checkers Russian Checkers
Checkerboard 8 × 8 12 × 12 8 × 8 8 × 8 8 × 8 8 × 8 8 × 8 12 × 12 10 × 10 8 × 8
Number of pieces 32 60 24 32 24 24 24 60 40 24
Color of the squares used / Black Black / Black Black Black Black Black Black
Right square of the first row / White Black / White White White White White White
The player that go first / Random White White Black White White / White /
Capturing Backwards (Simple pieces) No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Flying king Yes Yes Yes Yes (and can move in L) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Play draughts online

Draughts (meaning also Checkers) is definitely the best international board game of all brain games. Simple but challenging, it can be played for free or for money by beginners and adepts as well. You can play draughts online 2 players with friends or against the computer, on your android phone, iOS or iPad.

How to play draughts online / with the computer

Draughts (pronounced « drafts », dame, dames, damas) is about the strategy you can develop on an 8×8 game board. Therefore, to win the game the captures can be made by jumping over the enemy’s pieces. However, all moves must be in diagonal. It is played by two opponents with different colors generally black and white, one on each side. Most importantly, the pieces used are the king with other pieces called a stone, peón, pawn, men. On the other hand, the pawns that become kings will be called dames or ladies and will have the king’s power. Moreover, you can visit this page to learn more about the rules and instruction

The draughts is a board game for two opponents. The game consists of moving the pieces diagonally through the black or white squares of a board of 64 or 100 squares with the intention of capturing (eating) the pieces of the opposing player passing over said pieces.

There are several modalities, with different boards and number of pieces. The international version, also called « Polish draughts », is regulated by the Fédération Mondiale du Jeu de Dames ( FMJD ) and is played on a 10 × 10 board with two players with 20 pieces each. The normal pieces move 1 square vertically and if the edge is reached in the area of the enemy the piece will become a queen, which can be moved diagonally to any side the frames you want.

How to draw?

It can be tied if all the pieces are locked together.
If in case both players are left with a single chip.
If the game continued long (if the game is very long)

Draughts rules, instructions and strategies

The draughts is a game for two people in a board of 64 squares of 8×8 cells. The board is placed so that each player has a white square in its lower right.

Each player has 12 pieces of the same color (one white and one black) that at the beginning of the game are placed in the black squares of the three rows closest to him. The objective of the checkers game is to capture the opponent’s chips or corner them so that the only moves they can make are those that lead to their capture.

It is played alternately. Start playing who has the clear (white) chips. On his turn, each player moves a piece of his own.

The pieces move (when they do not eat) a forward position (never backward) diagonally to the right or to the left, to an adjacent empty position.

How to win a draughts game

A game of checkers ends when we are in one of these 3 situations:

Loses who runs out of pieces on the board.
If the player makes a mistake 3 times, he loses.

If, when a player’s turn comes, he can not move, since all the pieces remaining in the game are blocked, before this there are three rules depending on the style practiced:
Boards.
Loses who owns the next movement.
Win who has more pieces, the same number of pieces wins who have more queens/ladies and if the match is also tied in tables.

The player who has very few pieces can withdraw from the game.
The game can also end in tables if both players are left with a very small number of pieces so that by many moves that are made the game would not be resolved. The lady/queen always has priority to eat before any other card. Also, the lady moves only one frame after each capture. A normal piece can capture the lady.

Mathematical resolution of the game

On July 20, 2007, in an article published in the journal Science, 2 the mathematical resolution for the checkers game was found, with the result that of tables. That is, if both opponents always play the perfect game based on the complete and perfect analysis, the tables are guaranteed.

Chinook is the name of the software created by Jonathan Schaeffer, the first program that first played the draughts at the tournament level, reaching the world champion of the time, Don Lafferty, who finally resolved the development of the game towards a draw. Inescapably.

In this case, it was the 12 + 12 checker game. Chinook was never used for the international checkers game of 20 + 20 chips which is a game as difficult as chess.

Variations of Draughts

English Draughts

At a more anecdotal level, the pieces are usually red or black and white or ivory those of the other side.
They start black or red (dark).
The king move like a normal piece, diagonally, both forward and backward, eating in the sense of a normal lady.
It is mandatory to capture. The « blow » is made to the player who does not eat one of the chips (if a movement is made instead of eating, one of the chips that can be eaten is removed, otherwise if it has possibility on different sides the player must choose where to eat the case of the non-chosen side should be removed the tab not food).
Before two capture options, it is not necessary to choose the one that captures more pieces, or of more range. Yes, if we start a capture and can continue, we have to do it.
If a player can not move, he has lost.

Spanish draughts

Not like Czech draughts and with the board in the same position, the pieces go in the white squares. They can only kill diagonally for back and forth is called multiple movements
If a player can not move, he has lost.
At the official level, it is not blown (if a movement is made instead of eating, one of the chips that can be eaten is not removed).
The Checkers Game is developed on a board of 64 squares (8×8), colored white and black alternately (classic board) with the white lower right slot.
The board must be flat and not shiny surface, divided into eight equal parts in height and width (8×8) whose intersections give rise to the 64 squares of the board.
The pieces, called pawns, may be made of wood, plastic, bone or ivory, 12 for each side, white and black.
You play on the white squares of the board, leaving the large diagonal or main diagonal to the right of the player (lower right corner of the board).
The board is numbered in the following way: It is counted always from top to bottom and from left to right and only the white squares are numbered. Thus the first white square in the first row will be number 1 and the last white square in the last row will be number 32. This numbering will be the one used for the representation of items, positions, studies and in general everything related to the game nomenclature.
The 12 white pawns are placed on squares 1 to 12 of the board and the 12 black pawns on squares 21 to 32.
Each color is driven by a player. The first move must always be made by the player with the white chips.
The movements of the pawns are diagonal, one square and in the forward direction, that is, towards the opposing field.
The movements are made alternately, one per player.
« Piece played, the piece played ». If a piece is played, it must be played if the movement is possible.
If a pawn reaches the opponent’s baseline (1-4 white, 29-32 black), it becomes a queen, crowning it with another pawn.
The lady also moves diagonally, but back and forth, being able to go through any number of squares if they are free.
The lady can not jump two pawns together or a pawn of her color. In case of a pawn of another color see the capture of pieces.
If a pawn is in a diagonal square next to another of the opponent, the back one being empty and in turn, he can jump over it to the empty square, removing him from the board.
If after a jump, the pawn reaches a square in the same conditions as the previous one, it can continue jumping and so on as many times as this is possible (multiple captures).
If a lady is in turn and on the same diagonal with an opposite piece behind which there are empty squares, she can jump this until she is in any of the empty squares.
If after making the previous jump you find another diagonal with another piece in the same conditions, you can continue the jumps as many times as this is possible (multiple captures).
In multiple captures, on the same diagonal you can jump twice over the same piece.
A capture movement does not end until all possible jumps are completed. Only then can the captured pieces be removed from the board.
Capturing is absolutely mandatory. If a player has not noticed a capture, he should be warned.
In case of competition, if a game is shown that after a certain movement the rules have been violated, it must be repeated from the infringing or annulled movement, as agreed by the jury appointed for that purpose.
Law of Quantity: It is mandatory to capture as many pieces as possible.
Law of the Quality: To the equal number of pieces to capture, it is obligatory to capture to those of greater quality, lady before pawn.
A game is considered lost when a player: He loses all his pieces.
It has pieces, but touching it has no possible movement (c).
Leave the game.
In competition, exceed the scheduled time without making the number of moves agreed.
In competition, if so decided by the jury or judge of this for not obeying the player any of the rules of the game or tournament.
A game is considered tied when: The players remember.
When exceeding the number of plays scheduled for finals that must be won in a maximum of moves.
When the same position is given three times, the same player being the one in turn to play and so claim.
Movement limit: Forced (3 ladies with main diagonal against a queen): Maximum of 12 moves (24 moves) including the final capture movement.
Kick pawn (2 maids with dp and a pawn in Box 2, against a lady and pawn in box 9, on the contrary for black): Maximum of 32 moves (64 moves) to achieve and win the game, become lady’s pawn or capture the opposing pawn.
In competition, any dispute or controversy over the application of these rules will be resolved by the jury appointed for that purpose. Example of the Law of Quality: the black pawn must eat the white pawn and queen, instead of the 2 white pawns

Russian draughts / Shashki

The Russian draughts are the same as the pool checkers with the difference that if in the middle of a capture you reach the last row you crown and you continue the capture as a lady and that the white ones start. It is played in parts of the former Soviet Union and in Israel they have different game modes.

Poddavki

A variant of the Russian draughts in which, using the same rules, the objective is reversed: the one who manages to run out of pieces or have the ones blocked has won. Generally, these lose/win versions are practiced in almost all checkers games, but not They are considered more than just entertainment. However, in Russia, this variant not only has its own name but also enjoys prestige and championships are held in the same way as with the Shashki variant.

Turkish draughts

The « Turkish draughts », whose original name is « lady », are played in the same areas as the Russian draughts and in Turkey. They are the most different of all the variants.

The board is eight by eight squares. Each player has sixteen pieces, which are placed, at the beginning, in the second and third row closest to each one.

The pieces move orthogonally, one position forward or sideways, not backward.
It is captured by jumping, also to the sides or forward.
The captures are chained. As captured, the captured pieces are removed.
When a piece reaches the last row, it is crowned queen.
Queens move any number of empty positions forward, backward or sideways.
The queens capture the same as the normal pieces, but they can capture separated pieces of them by a line of empty squares and go to any last square of the captured piece, following a line of empty squares.
Capture is mandatory. It is necessary to capture the maximum number of pieces.
Win who captures all the pieces of the opponent immobilizes it or leaves it with a single piece against, at least, a queen.

Chinese checkers

This is a peculiar variant of the draughts, played between 2, 4 or 6 players, each with a different color. The board is also squared (in the case of playing 6 players the board is hexagonal) but with many more squares.

Each player begins the game with his pieces in the region of one of the vertices of the board and his objective is to transfer all his pieces to the region of the opposite vertex.

The movement of the pieces is the following: in each turn, the player moves a single piece, either by moving the piece towards an empty adjacent square, or by jumping on other pieces, either his or another player’s. The jump can be done as long as the final square where the piece is going is empty, and just like conventional draughts, multiple jumps can be made. In this game, pieces are not eaten, they simply move by jumping over each other, it is interesting to make movements of several jumps, as the pieces arrive before the opposite vertex.

The player who places all his pieces in the region of the opposite vertex wins before anyone else.

No player can enter any piece in the opposite region until they have removed all their pieces from their own region.

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Frequently asked questions FAQ:

What is the meaning of Draughts?

If you search the meaning of draughts in Google, it will probably return you the word “drafts”, which does mean the same thing. Draughts is a two players board game. To play draughts, you need a board of 8×8 squares and twelve disc-shaped pieces, some times called pawns.

How to play Draughts?

The game of draughts is played by two persons. First, you need to have a draughts board of 8×8 squares and each player must have twelve pawns. Any one of players can make the fist move. The goal of the game is to eat all opponent’s pieces or neutralize them so he can’t make any move.

What are the rules for playing Draughts?

Draughts rules are simple. To win the game, you have to place your pieces on thark squares of the first 3 rows if you choose the white pieces. The pieces move to a forward square of the same color (but never backward) diagonally to the right or to the left, to an adjacent empty position.

What are the moves of draughts?

The moves in the draughts game are always to a forward diagonally empty position. When you want to eat a opponent’s piece, you have to jump over it to an empty square and take it off from the board game. If one off your pieces arrive to the final row of the board game, it acquire more power and become able to move backward (but always one square a time).

What is the difference between checkers and draughts?

Checkers and Draughts are the same thing, They also mean drafts, “Damas” in spanish, and “Jeu de Dames” in french.

Similar games to Checkers

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