How to Play Checkers: Setup, Movement, Captures, Kings & Winning
This guide covers American checkers / English draughts under WCDF rules.
Setup
Use the 32 dark squares of an 8×8 board. Each player begins with 12 pieces on the dark squares of the three rows nearest them. Under WCDF terminology Red moves first.
Ordinary movement
An uncrowned man moves one square diagonally forward left or right onto an empty dark square.
Captures
A man captures by jumping diagonally forward over an adjacent opposing man or king onto the vacant square immediately beyond.
Captures are compulsory
If a jump is available, you must make a capturing move. When several captures are available, you may choose among them; you are not required to choose the line that captures the most pieces.
Multiple jumps
If the same piece can capture again immediately after a jump, the capture sequence must continue until no further jump is available.
Kings
A man reaching the farthest row becomes a king. Kings move and capture one square/jump diagonally in either forward or backward directions under English rules.
Winning
You win if your opponent has no legal move, because all their pieces are captured or their remaining pieces are blocked.
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Jump and king rules · Strategy · Game hub