How to play Checkers

English draughts on an 8×8 board. Captures are compulsory, so every move is a little puzzle: jump, capture, crown — and trap your opponent until they can't move.

StrategyTwo players5–10 min

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Setup

Each player has twelve pieces on the dark squares. The dark squares are numbered 1 to 32 — that's how moves are written, e.g. 11-15 or 15x22.

Black starts on squares 1–12 and moves first.
White starts on squares 21–32.

Moving and capturing

Men move one square diagonally forward, onto an empty dark square.
Capture by jumping: hop over a diagonally adjacent enemy piece onto the empty square right behind it. Men capture forward only.
Captures are mandatory. If you can capture, you must — but when there are several captures, you choose which one.

Moving and the forced capture · Step 1 of 5The starting position: Black (bottom, squares 1–12) moves first; men only move diagonally forward.

Multi-jumps

Keep jumping. If, after a jump, the same piece can jump again, it must: a capture sequence is always completed.
Your choice of route. Any capture sequence is allowed — you don't have to take the one that captures the most.
One jump per piece. A piece can't be jumped twice; captured pieces leave the board at the end of the move.

Multi-jumps · Step 1 of 2Black's man on 9 can jump the man on 14 — and from 18 it can jump again, over 22 or over 23. You choose which capture.

Crowning and kings

Crowning. A man that reaches the far row becomes a king — and its move ends there, even in the middle of a capture sequence.
Kings move and capture one square diagonally in any direction, forwards or backwards. There are no “flying” kings.

Crowning and kings · Step 1 of 4Black's man on 15 has a double jump that ends on the far row.

Winning and draws

You win when your opponent has no legal move — because all their pieces are captured or blocked.
Threefold repetition: the same position with the same player to move for the third time is a draw.
Forty-move rule: 40 moves each (80 in all) without a capture or a man moving is a draw.
Agreement: after both players have moved, either may offer a draw; the opponent accepts, or declines by playing on.
The clock: each player has a bank of time plus an increment after every move; running out of time loses.

Rules and time controls

What the lobby offers.

English Draughts
The classic 8×8 game.
- Men move diagonally forward; kings move one square in any diagonal direction.
- Captures are mandatory and multi-jumps must be completed; you choose which capture.
- Reaching the far row crowns a man and ends the move.
- Draw by threefold repetition or 40 moves each without a capture or man move.

Time controls

3+2 · Blitz3 minutes each, plus 2 s per move
5+3 · Blitz5 minutes each, plus 3 s per move
10+5 · Rapid10 minutes each, plus 5 s per move

Every match

Ready check. Once you're paired, both players confirm they're ready within 30 seconds — otherwise the match is called off and no coins move.
Stakes. In a game for coins, both stakes are locked in escrow before a 5-second countdown. The winner takes the pot; a draw or an aborted game gives both stakes back.
First moves. The clocks don't run until both players have moved once; each player has 30 seconds for their first move. Missing it — or aborting before both have moved — cancels the game: stakes are refunded and nothing is rated.
Resigning. You can resign at any time; your opponent wins.
Disconnections. Lost your connection? You have 30 seconds to come back while your opponent is still there, or you lose by abandonment. Your clock keeps running meanwhile.
Rematch. After the result, if both players ask for a rematch within 60 seconds, a new game starts with the same stake and sides swapped.
Spectators. Anyone can watch live. Logged-in spectators can back a player with coins until move 10; the winning side's backers share the pot.

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Other games:How to play Whot!How to play ChessHow to play Tic-tac-toe

How to play Checkers

Setup

Moving and capturing

Multi-jumps

Crowning and kings

Winning and draws

Rules and time controls

English Draughts

Time controls

Every match

Ready to play?

How to play Checkers

Setup

Moving and capturing

Multi-jumps

Crowning and kings

Winning and draws

Rules and time controls

English Draughts

Time controls

Every match

Ready to play?