The most important thing is to capture the opponent's pieces To some extent, the player's success depends on the ability to place the pieces in such positions so as to capture as many pieces of the opponent as possible.
Play Un-crowned pieces can only move diagonally forwards but can capture diagonally forwards AND backwards. A Queen moves by diagonally traversing any number of unoccupied squares. Capturing is compulsory and where there is a choice, the move that captures the greatest number of pieces must be made.
Usually, this is because all of the opponent's pieces have been captured, but sometimes it is because the opponent has no space to move onto (he is “blocked” from moving). In checkers, stalemates don't exist as they do in chess. The rules stipulate that if a player cannot make a move, they automatically lose the game.
A player wins the game when his opponent can no longer make a move. This happens when all his opponent's pieces have been captured or when all of his opponent's pieces are blocked in. Each player begins with 12 pieces placed on the game board as shown.
Players take turns to move a piece of their own colour. Any piece that reaches the far edge of the board is immediately crowned and is thereafter known as a "King". The act of crowning is a physical one - another piece of the same shade is placed on top of the piece in order to distinguish it from an ordinary piece.
Starting position Each player starts with 12 men on the dark squares of the three rows closest to that player's side (see diagram). The row closest to each player is called the kings row or crownhead. The player with the darker-coloured pieces moves first. Then turns alternate.
Captures are mandatory. All 64 squares are used, dark and light. Men move one cell diagonally forward and capture in any of the five cells directly forward, diagonally forward, or sideways, but not backward.
A win is scored when an opponent's pieces are all captured or blocked so that they cannot move. When neither side can force a victory and the trend of play becomes repetitious, a draw game is declared. Games similar to checkers were played in the days of the early Egyptian pharaohs (c.
Players take turns to move a piece of their own colour. Any piece that reaches the far edge of the board is immediately crowned and is thereafter known as a "King". The act of crowning is a physical one - another piece of the same shade is placed on top of the piece in order to distinguish it from an ordinary piece.
In American Checkers, known also as English draughts the board consists of 64 squares (8x8 checkerboard). On the other hand international draughts is played on 10x10 gameboard, which means 100 squares.