Brazilian Draughts Rules
Brazilian Draughts plays on the same 8×8 board as American Checkers but uses international rules: flying kings, backward captures, and the maximum-capture rule.
Play Brazilian Draughts free →The Board and Setup
The game uses an 8×8 board and only the 32 dark squares. Each player has 12 pieces (men) on the dark squares of their three nearest rows. White moves first, then players alternate.
Moving
- Men move one square diagonally forward to an empty dark square.
- Men move forward only, but — unlike American Checkers — they may capture both forward and backward.
Capturing
- You capture by jumping over an adjacent enemy piece into the empty square beyond it.
- Capturing is mandatory, and multi-jumps continue until no further capture is possible.
- Maximum capture: when several capturing sequences are available, you must choose one that captures the greatest number of pieces.
- Captured pieces are removed only after the full jumping sequence is complete, so you cannot jump the same piece twice in one turn.
Flying Kings
A man promotes to King on reaching the far row. Kings are "flying": they move any number of empty squares along a diagonal, and they capture by jumping an enemy piece from a distance and landing on any empty square beyond it along the same diagonal.
How to Win
Capture all of your opponent's pieces, or leave them with no legal move. Draws occur by threefold repetition or when no progress (no capture or man move) is made for 40 moves by each side.
Know the rules and want to win more? Learn strategy in our complete Brazilian Draughts strategy guide and the rest of the lessons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who moves first in Brazilian Draughts?
White moves first, then players alternate turns.
Is capturing mandatory in Brazilian Draughts?
Yes, and you must choose a line that captures the greatest number of pieces (maximum capture).
Can a man capture backward in Brazilian Draughts?
Men move forward only, but — unlike American Checkers — they may capture both forward and backward.
How do kings move in Brazilian Draughts?
Kings are flying: they move any number of empty squares along a diagonal and capture from a distance.
How is Brazilian Draughts different from International Draughts?
The rules are the same; Brazilian is played on a smaller 8×8 board with 12 pieces per side, while International uses a 10×10 board with 20.
Can a king be captured in Brazilian Draughts?
Yes. A king can be jumped and captured like any piece.
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