Checkers is a classic two-player board game that is played on an 8x8 grid board with 64 squares of alternating colors, typically black and red or white. Each player controls a set of pieces, usually distinguishable by color, with the pieces initially arranged on opposite sides of the board. The objective of Checkers is to capture all of your opponent's pieces or to immobilize them so they cannot make any legal moves. Players achieve this by moving their pieces diagonally forward, jumping over their opponent's pieces to capture them. The game ends when one player has captured all of their opponent's pieces or when their opponent is unable to make a legal move.
The gameplay of Checkers is deceptively simple yet offers a deep level of strategic complexity. Players must carefully plan their moves to both protect their own pieces and capture their opponent's pieces while avoiding being captured themselves. Successful players often employ tactics such as blocking, trapping, and forced jumps to gain a strategic advantage. Checkers requires players to anticipate their opponent's moves, think several steps ahead, and adapt their strategy based on the evolving game state.
Checkers' timeless appeal lies in its accessibility and depth, making it a favorite pastime for players of all ages and skill levels. Whether played casually among friends and family or competitively in tournaments, Checkers offers a stimulating and engaging experience. Its simple rules and fast-paced gameplay ensure that each match is a dynamic and exciting contest of wits and strategy. As one of the oldest and most beloved board games in the world, Checkers continues to captivate players around the globe with its timeless charm and strategic depth.
Checkers is a classic board game that has been around for centuries. Besides the name of Checkers, it is also know as Draughts, Dama (Spain and Italy), Le Jeu de Dames (France), Warcaby (Poland) and das Damenspiel (Germany) to name a few. This ancient Egyptian game has been played in just about every country of the world have has been found in archeological digs dating back as far as 600 BC. Checkers is a fun two player board game that involves strategy to outsmart your opponent. Each player is in control of one color of pieces that can jump the other color in adjacent squares. The checkers board is made up of 64 alternately colored squares (usually black and red). Checkers boards have been made is all shapes and sizes including small travel boards to life size boards spanning 10-12 feet. Checkers is a board game that even kids enjoy playing. For more information on the exact checkers rules please read below.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
The player that cannot move and is blocked by the other player or cannot move from loosing all their pieces loses the board game checkers.
Perparation: The checkers board is unfolded or laid out and the 12 pieces are positioned on the darkest squares starting with the squares closest to the edge on each side. There should be two rows of squares in the middle with no Checker pieces on them. If checker pieces are such that on one side there is a crown, those should be faced down until further in the game.
Game Play: If playing with black Checkers, the rules and instructions suggest that red moves first and colors are alternated in subsequent games. Also, each player has 5 minutes to complete his turn before loosing it.
Rules on moving normal checkers pieces are they can move one square forward in a diagonal direction landing on the same color as all other pieces. A piece that has been Kinged can move one square diagonally in both directions (forward or backwards). All pieces can only be moved onto vacant squares unless they are jumping the opponent.
You can reduce the number of pieces the other player has by jumping over their piece if they are located on the adjacent square with a vacant square following them for your piece to land. Multiple jumping is not against the rules as far as the Checker piece is advanced in a forward direction. If piece being played is a King, player can move jumping in both directions in the same manner. Each jump or sequence of jumps consists of one turn. If a player can jump another player, you must jump and remove their piece. The Checker instructions state that multiple jumps must be completed and not stopped half way through. If you have a choice of jumps, you can choose among them regardless of whether some of them are multiple jumps or not. Jumping your own pieces is against the rules. Any piece, whether it is a king or not, is allowed to jump a king.
Pieces can be Kinged by reaching the last row of the opposite side referred to in the rules as the King Row. To "King" a piece, another Checker is placed on top of the exiting piece or the Checker is turned over to reveal the crown (depending of game pieces). The Kinged piece then follows the normal turn pattern.
Please keep in mind that the official Checkers PDF rules listed below could be different depending on the version you have. They should be an exact copy of what came in your original packaging. Download them to view now or print them for later use.
Share with us your comments, funny stories, tips, advice, strategies, creative ways to play, questions about playing, problems with the directions, etc. All submissions will be reviewed within 24 hours.
