Checkers Rules
Checkers (also called American Checkers or English Draughts) is the classic 8×8 game with simple forward movement and mandatory captures.
Play American Checkers free →How to Set Up a Checkers Board
To set up a checkers board, place the 8×8 board between the two players, give each player 12 pieces (called men), and fill the dark squares of the three rows nearest each player, leaving the two middle rows empty. Black moves first.
- Turn the board so each player has a dark square in their near-left corner, which puts a light square in the near-right corner.
- Give one player the 12 light men (white or red, depending on the set) and the other the 12 black men.
- Fill the three rows nearest the white player with white men: a1, c1, e1 and g1, then b2, d2, f2 and h2, then a3, c3, e3 and g3.
- Fill the three rows nearest the black player with black men: b8, d8, f8 and h8, then a7, c7, e7 and g7, then b6, d6, f6 and h6.
- Leave the two middle rows (rows 4 and 5) empty. Nobody starts with a king.
- Black moves first, then players alternate turns.
No board at home? Download a printable checkers board, cut-out pieces and a one-page rules sheet as free PDFs.
How Many Pieces Are in Checkers?
Checkers uses 24 pieces, 12 for each player, on a board of 64 squares arranged in 8 rows and 8 columns. Only the 32 dark squares are used.
- Pieces: 12 per player, 24 in total. One side is black and the other is white or red, depending on the set.
- Squares: 64 in all, 32 dark and 32 light.
- Rows and columns: 8 of each. Every row has 4 dark squares.
- Starting rows: each player fills the 3 rows nearest them, 4 pieces to a row. The 2 middle rows start empty.
Pieces move and capture along the diagonals, so they never leave the dark squares and the 32 light squares stay empty for the whole game. The setup steps above list the exact starting square of every piece.
The pieces are often just called checkers. Every piece starts the game as a man. A man that reaches the far row is crowned and becomes a king. On a physical board you crown a man by placing a second checker on top of it, so a king is a stack of two. See Kings for how kings move.
Other versions of the game use different numbers. International Draughts gives each player 20 pieces on a 10×10 board, and Turkish Checkers gives each player 16 pieces on all 64 squares. Compare them on the checkers variants page.
Moving
- Men move one square diagonally forward to an empty dark square.
- Men may only move forward — never sideways or backward.
Capturing
- You capture by jumping diagonally over an adjacent enemy piece into the empty square directly beyond it. The captured piece is removed.
- Men capture forward only.
- Capturing is mandatory: if a jump is available, you must take it.
- If a jump leads to another jump with the same piece, the captures continue in the same turn until no more are possible (a multi-jump).
Double jumps, forced jumps and jumping backward are covered in more detail in our guide to jumping in checkers.
Kings
When a man reaches the far row (the opponent's back row), it is promoted to a King. Kings move and capture diagonally both forward and backward, one square at a time. A man that reaches the back row by a jump ends its turn there, even if further jumps would be possible as a king.
For more on what a king can and cannot do, read the checkers king rules.
How to Win
You win by capturing all of your opponent's pieces, or by leaving them with no legal move on their turn. A game is drawn by threefold repetition of a position, or when no capture or man move has occurred for 40 moves by each side.
Stuck with pieces left but nowhere to move? See what happens when you have no moves left.
Know the rules and want to win more? Learn strategy in our complete Checkers strategy guide and the rest of the Checkers lessons. To test your own ideas, set up any position in the checkers solver and see which move it picks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you set up a checkers board?
Place the 8×8 board so each player has a dark square in their near-left corner. Each player puts 12 men on the dark squares of the three rows nearest them, which leaves the two middle rows empty. Black moves first.
How many pieces does each player have in Checkers?
Each player has 12 men, for 24 pieces in total. They fill the 12 dark squares of the three rows nearest that player. There are no kings at the start.
How many squares are on a checkerboard?
A checkerboard has 64 squares in 8 rows of 8. Only the 32 dark squares are used. The 32 light squares stay empty for the whole game.
How many rows does each player fill in Checkers?
Each player fills the 3 rows nearest them, with 4 men on the dark squares of each row. That leaves the 2 middle rows empty at the start.
What are the pieces called in Checkers?
Every piece starts as a man. A man that reaches the far row is crowned and becomes a king. On a physical board you crown a man by placing a second checker on top of it.
Who moves first in Checkers?
Black moves first, then players alternate turns.
Is capturing mandatory in Checkers?
Yes. If a jump is available you must take it, and if a jump leads to another jump with the same piece, the captures continue in the same turn until no more are possible.
Can a man capture backward in Checkers?
No. An ordinary man moves and captures diagonally forward only. Only kings can move and capture backward.
How do kings move in Checkers?
A king moves and captures diagonally in any direction, one square at a time. A man that reaches the back row by a jump ends its turn there, even if further jumps would be possible as a king.
Can a king be captured in Checkers?
Yes. A king can be jumped and captured just like a man — kings are stronger, not immune.
How do you win at Checkers?
You win by capturing all of your opponent's pieces, or by leaving them with no legal move. A game is drawn by threefold repetition, or when no capture or man move has occurred for 40 moves by each side.
Play American Checkers free →