Play Christmas Checkers

Christmas checkers in your browser

Christmas checkers on Checkers Online is the full game dressed up for the holidays. Red pieces carry a gold bauble, snow-white pieces carry a green snowflake, and the board has pine-green squares and a candy-cane frame. It's free, there's nothing to sign up for, and the board above is ready when you are.

Only the look changes. You get the same rules, computer opponent, rating and saved games as the classic checkers board, so a game started here can be finished on the homepage, and the other way round.

What the Christmas board looks like

• Baubles and snowflakes: every Red piece shows a gold Christmas bauble with a pine-green zigzag band, and every White piece shows a pine-green snowflake. Red plays the side the rules call Black. So Red moves first, and the status line reads "Red's turn" and "Red wins".
• Gold crowns: every king still wears one, above a smaller copy of its bauble or snowflake.
• Pine-green and cream squares: the pieces live on the green squares. The cream ones stay empty.
• A candy-cane frame: red-and-white stripes run around the edge.

Around the board, the header and footer turn forest green and the main buttons turn red. Light snow drifts down the page background but stays behind the board, and it turns off if your device is set to reduce motion. The page stays up all year.

Who to play over the holidays

• The computer: four levels, from beginner to hard.
• Someone on the same couch: press 2 Players and pass the phone or tablet between moves.
• Family in another house: press Create private game and send the link or code. Play Online pairs you with a player from the regular checkers queue instead. More options are on the play page.

Each player sees the board from their own page. If your opponent came in through the homepage, their screen shows the classic black and white pieces while yours keeps the baubles and snowflakes. Chat is limited to six preset emotes, with no typing. Quick matches and lobby challenges are rated with Glicko-2 (guests too). Private games are not. The ratings page explains the numbers.

The rules on the Christmas board

This is standard American checkers. Each side starts with 12 men on the dark squares, and Red goes first. A man moves one square diagonally forward and captures forward only. If you can jump, you must, and the same piece keeps jumping that turn for as long as it can. With two different captures open, take either one. A man that reaches the far row is crowned, and its move ends there. Kings move and capture one square diagonally in any direction. You win by taking every enemy piece or leaving your opponent with no legal move. A game is drawn by threefold repetition, or after 40 moves by each side with no capture and no man move. Does your family play with optional jumps? Use checkers with no forced jump. Every rule is set out on the checkers rules page.

Phones, tablets and the family computer

Nothing to download. The game runs in the browser on phones, tablets, Chromebooks and computers. Tap a piece and then its new square, or drag it there. Computer games and one-screen games save on the device, and you can pick them up again later. After one computer game with a connection, those games work offline too, and you can install the site as an app.

More to play after the first game

Chinese Checkers is here, and the checkers variants guide lines up the other versions of draughts side by side. Solve the daily puzzle, or work through the strategy lessons to get better at the game. For a game away from the screen, print one of the free printable checkers boards.

More themed boards: Winter Checkers, Spring Checkers, Summer Checkers, Fall Checkers, Halloween Checkers.

Frequently asked questions

Does my opponent see the Christmas board?

No. The board you see depends on the page you play from. An opponent who joined from the homepage gets the usual black and white pieces, even though your game has baubles and snowflakes.

Is Christmas checkers free, and do I need to sign up?

It's free, with no sign-up or download needed. Open the page and play the computer, a friend on the same screen, or someone online as a guest.

Are the rules different from normal checkers?

No. It plays standard American checkers, with compulsory jumps and kings that move one square at a time. Red just takes Black's place, which is why Red makes the opening move.

Do my saved games, rating and stats carry over?

Yes. This page shares one save slot, one rating and one set of win stats with the homepage, so you can switch between the two mid-game. There is no separate Christmas rating.

Can I play with family who live somewhere else?

Yes. Press Create private game and send them the link or code. They join from their own phone or computer.

Does snow fall on the board?

No. Light snow drifts down the page background, behind the board and the text, so it never covers a piece. It turns off if your device is set to reduce motion.