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Learning how to play checkers takes about five minutes. Two players each start with 12 pieces on the dark squares of an 8 by 8 board. Pieces move diagonally forward one square at a time, jump over enemy pieces to capture them, and become kings when they reach the far side. You win when your opponent has no pieces left or no legal move. That is the whole game, and it still has enough depth that it took computers until 2007 to work it out.
The quick answer: set up 12 pieces each on the dark squares of the three rows closest to you. Darker pieces move first. Move one square diagonally forward. If you can jump an enemy piece, you must. Reach the far row and your piece is crowned a king, which can move and jump backward too. Capture everything or leave your opponent stuck, and you win.
This guide covers American checkers, which the rest of the English-speaking world calls English draughts. It is the version on most boards sold in the US.
What do you need to play checkers?
A checkers set has two things:
- A board of 64 squares in an 8 by 8 grid, alternating dark and light. Only the 32 dark squares are used.
- 24 pieces, 12 in each of two colors. Most American sets use red and black. The pieces are often called checkers or men.
A chessboard works perfectly, since it is the same 8 by 8 grid. If you are short a piece or two, coins or bottle caps make fine stand-ins.
How do you set up checkers?
Setup takes under a minute once you know the one rule people get wrong: the orientation of the board.
1. Turn the board the right way
Place the board so each player has a dark square in the bottom left corner. That puts two dark squares side by side in each player’s near right corner, a spot called the double corner. If the bottom left square is light, rotate the board a quarter turn.
2. Place 12 pieces on the dark squares
Each player puts their 12 pieces on the dark squares of the three rows nearest them, four pieces per row.
3. Leave the middle open
The two middle rows stay empty. That gap is where the first fights happen.
4. Decide who goes first
Under the official rules, the player with the darker pieces (usually black) moves first. Some home rule sheets have red start instead. Either is fine for a casual game; just agree before you begin, and swap colors between games so each person gets a turn going first.
How to play checkers: how do pieces move?
Players take turns moving one piece per turn. All movement is diagonal, so pieces always stay on dark squares.
Regular moves
A regular piece (a man) moves one square diagonally forward to an empty square. Forward means toward your opponent’s side of the board. A man can never move backward.
Jumps
If an enemy piece sits diagonally next to your man, and the square directly beyond it is empty, you can jump over it. The jumped piece is captured and removed from the board. Men jump forward only.
Multi-jumps
If your piece lands after a jump and can jump again, it keeps going in the same turn. A multi-jump can zigzag and change direction, as long as each single jump is a legal one. Once you start a jump sequence, you must finish it.
Is forced capture an official checkers rule?
Yes. In official checkers, jumping is mandatory. If you have a jump available anywhere on the board, you must take it, even if it walks your piece into a trap.
A few details matter here:
- You choose which jump. If you have two or more jumps available, you can pick any of them. You do not have to pick the one that captures the most pieces.
- You must finish the sequence. Once your piece starts jumping, it must keep jumping until no more jumps are possible from where it lands.
- Many casual players ignore it. Plenty of families grew up playing with optional jumps. An older variant called huffing lets you skip a jump, but then your opponent may remove the piece that should have jumped. Huffing is not part of the official rules.
Forced capture is what makes checkers a real strategy game. It lets you set bait: give up one piece to drag an enemy into a spot where you can jump two or three in return. If your table plays without it, you are playing a gentler, different game. Try it the official way at least once.
Can you jump backwards in checkers?
Only with a king. A regular man moves and jumps forward only. A king can move and jump diagonally in any direction, forward or backward.
This is the most common question new players ask, and it is also where house rules drift the most. Some families let men jump backward. That is not the official rule.
How does kinging work in checkers?
When one of your men reaches the far row on your opponent’s side (called the king row), it is crowned. Your opponent places one of your captured pieces on top of it to make a double stack. That stack is now a king.
- A king moves diagonally in any direction, one square at a time.
- A king jumps in any direction, including backward, and can make multi-jumps that change direction.
- Kings can be captured just like men.
One rule surprises people: reaching the king row ends your turn. If a man jumps into the king row, it is crowned and stops there. It cannot keep jumping backward out of the king row in the same move, even if a jump is waiting. It has to wait until your next turn.
In American checkers, a king moves only one square at a time. Some other versions of draughts, like the international 10 by 10 game, have “flying kings” that slide many squares. That is a different game.
How do you win at checkers?
You win if your opponent:
- has no pieces left, or
- has no legal move on their turn because every piece is blocked.
The second way catches new players off guard. You can win while your opponent still has pieces on the board, as long as none of them can move.
A player can also resign, which is common in serious play once a position is clearly lost.
How do draws work in checkers?
A game is a draw when neither player can force a win, and both agree to stop. The classic example is one king each in open space: they can chase each other forever without anything happening.
Tournament rules add a formal limit, so a player who is ahead has to show progress within a set number of moves or the game is declared drawn. Different rule sets count those moves differently, so for casual play, a simple handshake when neither side can make progress is enough.
Draws are not a sign that something went wrong. In 2007 a team led by Jonathan Schaeffer at the University of Alberta proved that checkers, played perfectly by both sides from the standard start, always ends in a draw. Their program, Chinook, spent years working backward from endgame positions to get there. Most of us will never play perfectly, which is exactly why the game is still fun.
Checkers strategy: five tips for beginners
Checkers rewards patience and planning more than people expect. These habits will win you a lot of games against friends.
1. Keep your back row home as long as you can
Your back row is your defense against enemy kings. While it stays full, your opponent cannot get crowned. Many strong players keep at least two back row pieces in place deep into the game.
2. Control the center
Pieces in the middle of the board have more options and can support each other. Pieces on the edges can only move one way and are easy to trap. Edges are safe from capture, but they do very little.
3. Move in pairs and groups
A lone piece out ahead is a target. Pieces that move together protect each other, since an enemy cannot jump a piece if the square behind it is filled.
4. Use forced capture against your opponent
Because jumps are mandatory, you can make your opponent’s move for them. Offer one piece so that their forced jump lands them where you can double jump back. Look for these two for one trades every turn, and watch for your opponent setting them up against you.
5. Trade when you are ahead
When you have more pieces, even trades help you. Trading four pieces against two leaves you with a much bigger lead than eight against six. When you are behind, avoid trades and try to keep the board crowded.
Why checkers is still worth playing
Checkers is one of the oldest games still on family shelves, and part of its staying power is that anyone can play it. Grandparents can teach it to grandkids in one sitting. It costs almost nothing, fits on a small table, and plays in fifteen or twenty minutes.
It is also a pure strategy game: no dice, no cards, no hidden information. If you enjoy that, our guide on luck vs skill in board games explains why some groups love games like this and others want a little chance in the mix. And if checkers is a hit, it pairs well with other classics like backgammon and mancala.
FAQ
How many pieces does each player have in checkers?
Twelve. They start on the dark squares of the three rows nearest each player, with the two middle rows empty.
Who goes first in checkers?
Under official rules, the darker pieces (usually black) move first. Some home sets say red goes first. Agree before the game and alternate colors from game to game.
Do you have to jump in checkers?
Yes, under the official rules. If any jump is available, you must take one. You may choose which jump if there are several, and you must finish the jump sequence you start.
Can a regular piece move backwards in checkers?
No. Regular pieces move and jump only forward. Only kings can move or jump backward.
Does your turn end when you get a king?
Yes. A man that reaches the king row is crowned and stops there, even if it reached the row by jumping and another jump is available. The new king can jump on your next turn.
Set up a board tonight
Checkers is a fine game to keep on the shelf for a quiet evening, a long visit with family, or a first game with a young player. For more two-player ideas, see our picks of two-player board games for date night, or browse the Card Catalogue to find games by how they feel. Ludarium Letters, just below, sends more ideas for what to play and who to play it with.
The game is the reason. The people are the point.
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