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Boards and strategy

Checkers

English draughts on the classic 8 by 8 board against a computer that reads long jump combinations. Pick a level, pick a colour, or take on the daily game.

Levels
Beginner, Casual, Club, Strong, Master
Daily
Beat Club
Scored by
Win, draw or loss
Today
Daily puzzle
Setting up the board

Rules

  1. 1.Checkers, called draughts in Britain, is played on the 32 dark squares of an 8 by 8 board. Each side starts with 12 pieces on the three rows nearest to it. Black moves first.
  2. 2.An ordinary piece (a man) moves one square diagonally forwards onto an empty square.
  3. 3.A man captures by jumping diagonally forwards over an enemy piece onto the empty square beyond it. The jumped piece is removed.
  4. 4.Captures are compulsory. If you can capture, you must, though you may choose which capture to make.
  5. 5.After a jump, if the same piece can jump again it must keep going: a multiple jump is one move and must be finished.
  6. 6.A man that reaches the far row is crowned a king. A king moves and captures one square diagonally in any direction. Being crowned ends the move.
  7. 7.You win when your opponent cannot move: all their pieces are taken or every one is blocked.
  8. 8.The game is drawn when the same position comes up three times, or after forty moves by each side with no capture and no man moving.

How to play

Controls
InputAction
Click or tap a pieceSelect it; dots mark where it can land
Click a landing squareMove there; for a multiple jump click each landing square in turn
Arrow keys, then Enter or SpaceChoose a square, pick up a piece and put it down
EscapeCancel the selected piece
Take backUndo your last move and the reply
Flip boardSee the position from the other side
  • Beginner: Looks one move ahead and often blunders
  • Casual: Sees simple shots, misses quiet threats
  • Club: Plays sound moves with the odd slip
  • Strong: Reads long jump combinations, rarely errs
  • Master: Deep search with a full evaluation

Strategy

  • Keep your back row intact for as long as you can: it stops the opponent from crowning a king.
  • Control the centre squares. Pieces in the middle have more moves and support each other.
  • Use forced captures against your opponent: offer one piece so that the jump lands their piece where you can take two.
  • Move in pairs and keep your pieces connected. A lone piece out in front is easy to trap.
  • When you are ahead, trade pieces. Fewer pieces on the board make a material lead decisive.
  • Two kings against one win comfortably; drive the lone king out of the double corner.

Questions

Is checkers the same as draughts?
Yes. Checkers is the American name and draughts the British one for the same game, also called English draughts. Other draughts games, such as international draughts on a 10 by 10 board, have different rules.
Do I have to take a piece when I can?
Yes. Captures are compulsory in English draughts. The board only lets you make legal moves, so when a capture is available it shows only the captures.
Can a man capture backwards?
No. In English draughts a man moves and captures only forwards. Only a king may move and capture backwards.
How does the daily game work?
Everyone plays the same level with the same colour each UTC day, and the computer answers the same moves in the same way. Win it to build your daily streak. Takebacks are off in the daily game.
Does the computer run on a server?
No. The computer player is our own program and thinks on your device, in the background, so the board stays responsive. Nothing about your game is sent anywhere.

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