Checkers Rules Explained: How to Play, Strategy Tips & Variations

You’ve pulled out the checkerboard, set up the pieces, and now someone’s asking “wait, do I have to jump?” Sound familiar? Checkers is one of the first board games most people learn, yet the rules still trip people up — especially when it comes to mandatory jumps, king movements, and how the game actually ends. Let’s clear everything up.

Quick answer: Checkers is a two-player strategy game played on an 8×8 board. Each player starts with 12 pieces on the dark squares. Pieces move diagonally forward one square at a time. You capture opponents by jumping over them. When a piece reaches the opposite end of the board, it becomes a king and can move backward too. Win by capturing all your opponent’s pieces or blocking them so they can’t move.

What You Need to Play Checkers

• A checkerboard — An 8×8 board with alternating light and dark squares (64 squares total). This is the same board used for chess.
• 24 checker pieces — 12 per player, in two different colors (typically red/black or white/black).
• 2 players

According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, checkers (known as draughts outside North America) has been played for thousands of years, with evidence of similar games dating to around 3000 BCE in the ancient city of Ur. The modern version played on an 8×8 board was standardized in 12th-century France.

Setting Up the Board

Proper setup is important — get this wrong and the whole game feels off:

1. Orient the board so that each player has a dark square in the bottom-left corner.
2. Each player places their 12 pieces on the dark squares only of the three rows closest to them.
3. The two middle rows remain empty — this is the “battlefield.”
4. Black (or the darker color) traditionally goes first.

When set up correctly, you should see 12 dark pieces on one side, 12 light pieces on the other, and two empty rows of dark squares in between. Pieces never touch the light squares — the entire game is played on the dark diagonals.

Basic Movement Rules

Regular Pieces

Standard (non-king) pieces follow these rules:

• Move diagonally forward only — one square at a time.
• Can only land on dark (unoccupied) squares.
• Cannot move backward (until they become kings).
• Cannot move to a square already occupied by another piece.

Capturing (Jumping)

This is where checkers gets interesting. To capture an opponent’s piece:

1. Your piece must be diagonally adjacent to an opponent’s piece.
2. The square directly beyond the opponent’s piece (continuing the same diagonal) must be empty.
3. You “jump” over the opponent’s piece and land on the empty square beyond it.
4. The captured piece is removed from the board.

The mandatory jump rule: If you can make a jump, you must make it. This is the rule that causes the most arguments in casual play. You cannot choose to make a regular move when a jump is available. If you have multiple jump options, you can choose which one to take — but you must jump.

Multiple Jumps (Double/Triple Jumps)

If after completing a jump your piece lands in a position where it can immediately jump again, it must continue jumping. A single turn can involve two, three, or even more consecutive jumps. Multiple jumps in a row can swing the game dramatically — I’ve seen players go from losing to winning in a single chain of captures.

Kings: The Power Upgrade

When a piece reaches the farthest row from the player (the opponent’s back row), it gets “kinged.” In practice, another captured piece or a coin is stacked on top of it to show its promoted status.

Kings are significantly more powerful than regular pieces:

• Kings can move diagonally in any direction — forward and backward.
• Kings can capture in any diagonal direction too.
• Kings can still only move one square at a time (in American checkers).
• Kings can make multiple jumps in different directions during a single turn.

Getting kinged is a major strategic milestone. A king is roughly twice as valuable as a regular piece because of its increased mobility and capturing range.

How to Win Checkers

You win by achieving either of these conditions:

• Capture all 12 of your opponent’s pieces, or
• Block your opponent so they have no legal moves on their turn.

A game is drawn (tied) if:

• Both players agree to a draw.
• The same position repeats three times.
• Neither player can force a win (for example, one king vs. one king).
• In tournament play, 40 moves pass without a capture or a piece being kinged.

Checkers Rules Summary Table

Checkers Strategy Tips

Checkers has been studied extensively — in 2007, researchers at the University of Alberta “solved” checkers after 18 years of computation, proving that perfect play by both sides results in a draw. But in real games, strategy matters enormously. Here are practical tips:

1. Control the center. Pieces in the center of the board have more movement options than pieces on the edges. Keeping your pieces centralized gives you more flexibility to attack and defend.
2. Advance in formation. Moving pieces in groups where they protect each other is far safer than pushing a single piece forward alone. Isolated pieces are easy targets for jumps.
3. Keep your back row as long as possible. Your back row pieces prevent your opponent from getting kinged. Don’t move them unless you have a good reason. In my experience, players who empty their back row early lose more often than not.
4. Trade when you’re ahead. If you have more pieces than your opponent, trading one-for-one simplifies the board in your favor. A 7-to-5 advantage becomes 6-to-4, then 5-to-3 — and each trade makes your advantage relatively larger.
5. Force your opponent’s moves. Use the mandatory jump rule to your advantage. Set up positions where your opponent must jump into a bad position. This is the core of advanced checkers strategy — sacrificing one piece to capture two.
6. Get kings early. An early king gives you a massive advantage in mobility. Push pieces toward your opponent’s back row whenever you can do so safely.
7. Watch both sides of the board. New players tend to focus on one side and forget about threats developing on the other. Scan the entire board before committing to a move.

Common Checkers Mistakes

• Ignoring the mandatory jump rule. Many casual players treat jumps as optional. They’re not. If you can jump, you must. This rule changes the entire strategic dynamic of the game — learn to use it offensively by creating forced jumps.
• Moving edge pieces too early. Pieces on the sides of the board can only move in one diagonal direction (they’re against the wall). Keep them as defensive anchors and advance your center pieces instead.
• Chasing kings with regular pieces. A regular piece can’t catch a king moving backward. If you’re chasing a king with non-kings, you’re usually wasting moves. Bring your own king to the fight instead.
• Leaving single pieces unprotected. An isolated piece is a piece waiting to be captured. Always try to keep your pieces supporting each other.
• Not looking two moves ahead. The biggest jump in skill comes from thinking ahead. Before you move, ask yourself: “After I move here, what can my opponent do? And then what will I do?” Even thinking just two moves deep dramatically improves your game.

Checkers Variations Worth Trying

Standard American checkers is just one version. There’s a whole world of draughts variations, each with unique twists:

International Draughts (10×10)

Played on a larger 10×10 board with 20 pieces per player. The biggest difference: kings can move any number of squares diagonally (like a bishop in chess), making them dramatically more powerful. This is the version played in world championship tournaments, particularly popular in the Netherlands, France, and Russia. The larger board and flying kings create much deeper strategic possibilities.

Canadian Checkers (12×12)

Even bigger — a 12×12 board with 30 pieces per side. Same rules as international draughts but on a larger surface. Games tend to be longer and more complex. It’s the standard version played in Quebec, Canada.

Turkish Draughts (Dama)

Pieces move forward and sideways (not diagonally!) on all squares of the board. Kings can move any number of squares in a straight line. This fundamentally different movement pattern creates a completely different game feel. Popular across the Middle East and Central Asia.

Pool Checkers

Identical to American checkers except that kings can fly (move multiple squares). This adds significant depth to the endgame. Widely played in the southeastern United States and parts of the Caribbean.

Losing Checkers (Giveaway)

The goal is reversed — you want to lose all your pieces. Since jumps are mandatory, you try to force your opponent to capture your pieces. It sounds simple but requires a completely different strategic approach. Great for a fun change of pace once you know the standard rules.

Checkers vs. Chess: How Do They Compare?

Neither game is “better” — they offer different experiences. Checkers is more accessible and faster, while chess has greater complexity. Many serious checkers players will tell you that the game’s apparent simplicity is deceptive. The constrained movement options actually create deep tactical puzzles.

Tips for Playing Checkers with Kids

Checkers is one of the best introductory strategy games for children. Here’s how to make it work:

• Start without the mandatory jump rule. Let kids choose whether to jump or not while they’re learning. Add the rule once they understand the basics.
• Play on a smaller section. Use a 6×6 portion of the board with 6 pieces each for shorter, simpler games.
• Talk through your moves. Explaining your thought process (“I’m moving here because it protects my other piece”) teaches strategic thinking more effectively than just playing silently.
• Let them take moves back. When they miss a jump or make an obvious mistake, let them redo it. The goal is learning, not winning.

Most children can grasp the basic rules by age 5 or 6, with the full mandatory jump and multi-jump rules making sense by age 7 or 8.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to jump in checkers?

Yes. In official rules, if a jump is available, you must take it. This is one of the most commonly debated rules in casual play, but the mandatory jump is standard in all competitive checkers.

Can a regular piece jump backward?

In American checkers, no — regular pieces can only move and jump forward. Only kings can move backward. However, in international draughts and some other variants, regular pieces CAN jump backward (but not move backward without jumping).

Can a piece become a king and keep jumping in the same turn?

In American checkers, no. When a piece reaches the back row and becomes a king, its turn ends immediately — even if another jump is available. The king can use its new powers starting on its next turn. Note: this rule differs in international draughts, where the piece continues its multi-jump as a king.

What if both players have only one king left?

This is typically a draw. One king cannot force a capture against another king on an open board. Most tournaments would declare this a draw after a set number of moves.

Can you jump your own pieces?

No. You can only jump over opponent’s pieces. You cannot jump over or capture your own pieces under any circumstances.

What if you miss a jump?

In casual play, the opponent may point out the missed jump and you retake your move. In tournament play, the “huff” rule (removing the piece that should have jumped) is largely obsolete — the standard now is to require the player to take back their move and make the jump.

Start Playing Better Checkers Today

Checkers rewards patience, pattern recognition, and forward thinking. It’s one of the most accessible strategy games ever created — simple enough for a five-year-old but deep enough that computers needed 18 years to solve it. Whether you’re playing casual games at the kitchen table or joining a local club, the fundamentals in this guide will serve you well.

For more classic game rules and strategies, explore our guide to different types of board games to discover your next favorite game. And if you’re looking to host a game night with a mix of classics and modern hits, our board game night ideas guide has you covered. You might also enjoy learning the rules to mancala, another ancient strategy game that’s perfect for quick two-player sessions.