Checkers Rules: Move, Jump and Crown a King
Checkers takes minutes to learn. In six steps on a real board you will make every move the game has, from a first step to a king's jump backwards.
Step 1 of 6
The board and the pieces
Checkers is played on the dark squares of a chessboard. Each player starts with 12 pieces on the three rows nearest them. You play Black, at the bottom, and Black moves first. You win by taking all of your opponent's pieces, or by leaving them with no legal move.
Playboard plays the English and American rules, also called draughts: men never capture backwards, and kings move one square at a time.
Move diagonally forward
A piece moves one square diagonally forward, onto an empty dark square. An ordinary piece, called a man, never moves sideways or backwards.
Your move
Move a piece onto the star on d4.
Jumping is compulsory
White has answered with a piece on c5. When an enemy piece is diagonally next to yours and the square beyond it is empty, you jump over it and take it. Jumping is compulsory: if you can jump, you must.
Your move
Jump the white piece on c5.
Double jumps
If the piece that jumped can jump again from where it lands, it keeps going in the same turn. You have two jumps here, and only one carries on.
Your move
Take two white pieces in one turn.
Crown a king
A man that reaches the far row is crowned a king, shown as two stacked pieces. Crowning ends your turn, even in the middle of a chain of jumps.
Your move
Crown your piece on e7.
Kings move backwards
A king moves and jumps one square diagonally in any direction. Men never go backwards: the dashed arrow is a jump your man on g5 cannot make.
Your move
Jump backwards with your king.
What you learned
- Black moves first, one square diagonally forward on the dark squares.
- When you can jump, you must, and a piece that can jump again keeps jumping.
- A man that reaches the far row becomes a king, which also moves backwards.
- You win by taking every enemy piece, or by leaving your opponent with no move.
In this course
Unit 1The rules
- Checkers Rules: Move, Jump and Crown a King
Unit 2Tactics
Take it to the table.
Put what you just read into practice. No sign-up needed.