Guest (White)Guest (Black)
Ready to jump in?
Controls
- Click a piece to highlight valid moves, then click to jump.
- Drag and drop also works for moving pieces.
How to Play Checkers (Draughts)
Checkers, also called Draughts, is a classic two-player strategy game played on an 8×8 board. This guide covers the starting setup, legal moves, captures, kings, and how a match ends.
Objective
Win by capturing all of your opponent’s pieces or by leaving them with no legal moves.
Board Setup (Start of the Game)
- Each player starts with 12 pieces
- Pieces begin on the dark squares only
- Black always moves first
Opening Position
How Pieces Move
- Regular pieces (men) move diagonally forward one square at a time
- Pieces stay on dark squares throughout the game
Captures Are Mandatory
A capture (also called a jump) happens when:
- An opponent piece is on a diagonally adjacent square
- The square immediately beyond it is empty
You must jump whenever a capture is available.
Example Jump
Multiple Jumps
If a capture creates another capture with the same piece, you must continue jumping until no more captures are available.
Kings
When a piece reaches the far row, it becomes a king.
- Kings can move diagonally forward or backward
- Kings can capture in both directions
Legal Moves Summary
A legal checkers move must:
- Start from your own piece
- Land on an empty dark square
- Capture if a capture is available
How the Game Ends
The game ends when:
- A player has no pieces left, or
- A player has no legal moves
The remaining player wins.
Beginner Strategy Tips
- Control the center early
- Keep pieces on the back row to delay opponent kings
- Look for forced jumps and avoid giving your opponent multiple captures