The Classic Diagonal Duel · also known as Draughts
Also known as: Draughts, English Draughts, American Checkers, Dama
Checkers — called Draughts across much of the world — is one of the most played board games in history, a descendant of the ancient game Alquerque that spread through the Middle East and medieval Europe. On a chequered board your pieces slide diagonally and leap over the enemy; reach the far side and a humble man is crowned a King, free to strike both forward and back. Simple to learn, sharp to master.
How to Play
Men move one square diagonally forward onto a dark square
Jump over an adjacent enemy into the empty square beyond
Captures are compulsory, and multi-jumps must be completed in one turn
Reach the far row to be crowned a King — Kings move both forward and back
Win by capturing all enemy pieces, or leaving your opponent with no move
History
Checkers has deep roots in the English-speaking world. In Britain it has been called the nation's oldest family game, played across pubs and parlours for generations under the name Draughts. In the United States it grew into serious competitive sport under the American Checker Federation, producing the greatest player the game has known: Marion Tinsley, world champion for nearly four decades, who lost only seven games in his entire 45-year career. English draughts itself was weakly solved by computer in 2007 — with perfect play by both sides, it is always a draw.
The game is far older than either tradition, though. It descends from Alquerque, a capturing game of the ancient Middle East and Mediterranean; around the 12th century in southern France, someone moved Alquerque onto a chessboard, and by the 16th century the compulsory-capture rule had turned it into Jeu Force — still called Dames in French today. Russia developed its own well-loved variant, shashki, with a national championship dating back to 1894, and the wider Mediterranean world plays a cousin called Dama, popular from Turkey to Egypt.
Strategy
Control the centre — central squares give your pieces the most attacking diagonals, while pieces stuck on the edges have half the mobility.
Hold your back row together in the opening; those pieces stop the enemy from crowning kings, so break the row only when you must.
Because captures are compulsory, you can bait the opponent — offer a piece so their forced jump lands them where you capture two in return.
When you are ahead in material, trade pieces off; simplifying toward the endgame turns a small lead into a winning one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you play Checkers?
Each player has twelve pieces that move one square diagonally forward onto dark squares. You capture by jumping an adjacent enemy piece into the empty square beyond, and captures are compulsory. Reach the far row and your piece becomes a King, able to move both forward and back.
How do you win at Checkers?
You win by capturing all of your opponent's pieces, or by leaving them with no legal move on their turn.
Are captures compulsory in Checkers?
Yes. If a capture is available you must take it, and multi-jumps must be completed in a single turn. This rule is central to strategy — it lets you set traps by forcing the opponent's move.
What is the difference between Checkers and Draughts?
They are the same game — "Checkers" in North America, "Draughts" in Britain and the Commonwealth. Note that international draughts is a different, larger variant on a 10×10 board with flying kings.
Is Checkers a solved game?
English checkers was weakly solved in 2007: with perfect play by both sides it always ends in a draw. In ordinary play between people, of course, there is still plenty of room to win and lose.
How does a piece become a King?
When one of your pieces reaches the farthest row on the opponent's side, it is crowned a King and can then move and capture both forward and backward.