⚫ Checkers

How to play

Two players share one board of 64 squares, each starting with twelve pieces on the dark squares of their three back rows. Red moves first and travels up the board, Black travels down. Pieces move one square diagonally into an empty space, or jump diagonally over an adjacent enemy piece into the empty square beyond, which removes it. A piece that reaches the far row is crowned a king and can then move in both directions. You win by taking every enemy piece.

• Click one of your pieces — selects it and highlights the squares it can legally reach.
• Click a highlighted square — moves the selected piece there and, if it was a jump, removes the piece you jumped.
• New Game button — resets both sides to twelve pieces and gives Red the move.

Scoring

There is no point total. The two counters at the top show how many pieces each side still has, starting at twelve each, and a game is won when one of them reaches zero. Kings are counted the same as ordinary pieces there, so the count tells you material but not strength. The turn indicator above the board names the side to move.

Tips

• Jumps are compulsory. If any of your pieces can capture, the game will only offer you capturing moves, so plan around that rather than being surprised by it.
• Each turn is a single move, so a jump does not chain into a second one. Position for the follow-up capture instead of relying on one.
• Keep your back row intact for as long as you can. It denies your opponent the squares they need to crown a king.
• Advance in pairs rather than singly. A piece with a friendly piece behind it cannot be jumped without a reply.

Frequently asked questions