How to play Checkers
Wondering how to play Checkers? It’s simpler than it looks: two players, twelve pieces each, and a board of dark squares to cross. Move diagonally, jump your opponent’s pieces to take them, and crown a king when you reach the far side. You can play it free online, with no download.
On Beat Pete you can practise against a ladder of ten computer opponents, from a gentle beginner up to Pete, or challenge a friend. Jumps are compulsory, which is where most games are won and lost.
The basics
English draughts, also called American checkers. Two players, twelve pieces each, on the dark squares of an 8×8 board. Red moves first.
Moving
- An ordinary piece (a man) moves one square diagonally forwards, onto an empty dark square.
- Reach the far side and your man is crowned — it becomes a king (), which moves one square diagonally forwards or backwards.
Capturing
- Jump diagonally over an opponent’s piece onto the empty square just beyond it, and that piece is taken.
- Captures are compulsory. If you can jump, you must — the pieces that can will flash. If there’s more than one capture, you choose.
- If, after a jump, the same piece can jump again, it must keep going in the same turn — that’s a multi-jump. Tap each landing square in turn.
- A man that reaches the far row during a capture is crowned, and that ends the move.
Winning
- You win when your opponent has no pieces left or can’t move.
- It’s a draw if the same position comes up three times, or after 40 moves each without a capture or a man moving (kings shuffling around).
Controls
- Tap one of your pieces, then a highlighted square — or drag it there.
- Hint works against Levels 1–2.
- Tap the opponent’s name at the top to choose from ten opponents — up to Pete, who has barely ever lost.
- Keyboard: Tab to the board, arrow keys to move around, Enter to pick up and put down, Esc to let go. N new game, H hint.
Beginner tips
- Keep a few pieces on your back row for as long as you can. They make it harder for your opponent to reach the far side and crown a king.
- Use the compulsory-jump rule as a weapon. Offer a piece on purpose so your opponent is forced to jump, then take two or more back with a multi-jump.
- Hold the centre and advance in small groups, so a piece that gets jumped can be recaptured. Crowning a king first is a big advantage: it can move backwards as well as forwards.
Frequently asked questions
Who goes first in Checkers?
Red moves first, then you take turns. Pieces move one square diagonally forwards onto an empty dark square.
How do you win at Checkers?
You win when your opponent has no pieces left or can’t move. Capture by jumping diagonally over an opponent’s piece onto the empty square just beyond it.
Do you have to jump in Checkers?
Yes, captures are compulsory. If you can jump you must, and if there is more than one capture you choose. If the same piece can jump again after landing, it must keep going in the same turn.
When is a game of Checkers a draw?
It is a draw if the same position comes up three times, or after 40 moves each without a capture or a man (an ordinary piece) moving.
Is it free to play Checkers against the computer?
Yes. Checkers is free to play in your browser, with nothing to download. Guests can play the first computer opponent, Trevor, and a free account unlocks the rest of the ten-level ladder up to Pete. You can also play a friend online.
Can I review my Checkers game?
Yes, and it’s free. Every move you make is rated as you play (brilliant, inaccuracy, mistake or blunder), and after the game you can tap Review for an accuracy score, the key moments, a graph of who was winning and the best move in each position. It works against the computer and in friend and online games.
Ready to play Checkers?
It’s free and works in your browser — no download. Start against Trevor, the friendliest opponent, and sign up free to climb the ladder of ten computer players all the way to Pete.
Play Checkers now How to win at Checkers