Checkers

About Checkers

Checkers, also known as draughts, is one of the oldest board games still widely played. Early ancestors date back thousands of years, but the version we recognize today — played on an 8×8 board with forced captures and a promotion rule for kings — emerged in 12th-century France and spread across Europe and the Americas from there.

In 2007, a team of computer scientists led by Jonathan Schaeffer proved that Checkers, played perfectly, is a draw — making it one of the first non-trivial games to be completely solved. Our version gives you a responsive opponent to play against on any device, with mandatory jumps, king promotion, and all the classic rules.

How to Play

Controls: Click or tap one of your pieces to select it, then click a highlighted square to move or jump. When a capture is available, you are required to take it.

Objective: Capture all of the opponent's pieces or leave them with no legal move. Reaching the far row promotes a piece to a king, which can move and capture in any diagonal direction.

Tips & Strategy

• Control the center early. Pieces in the middle of the board have more moves and more influence over the game.
• Move pieces forward in groups so they defend each other rather than leaving them isolated.
• Hold your back row as long as possible to prevent the opponent from getting easy king promotions.
• Look for forced captures before making any other move. A single forced jump can unravel the opponent's entire line.
• Trade pieces when you are ahead. Simplification usually favors the side with the material advantage.