International Draughts Rules
International Draughts is the world-championship variant, played on a 10×10 board with 20 pieces per side — the largest and most strategic of the common checkers games.
Play International Draughts free →The Board and Setup
The game is played on a 10×10 board using only the 50 dark squares. Each player starts with 20 pieces (men) on the dark squares of their four 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 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: you must always take the line that captures the greatest number of pieces.
- Captured pieces stay on the board until the jumping sequence ends, so no piece can be jumped twice in a turn.
Flying Kings
A man promotes to King on reaching the far row. Kings fly: they move any distance along an open diagonal, and capture by jumping an enemy piece from a distance, landing on any empty square beyond it on the same diagonal.
How to Win
Capture all of your opponent's pieces, or leave them with no legal move. Under FMJD rules a game is drawn by threefold repetition, or when no capture or man move occurs for 25 moves by each side. There are also endgame limits: a lone king against three pieces including a king is drawn after 16 moves by each side, and against two pieces including a king after 5 moves by each side.
Know the rules and want to win more? Learn strategy in our complete International Draughts strategy guide and the rest of the draughts lessons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who moves first in International Draughts?
White moves first, then players alternate turns.
How big is the International Draughts board?
It is played on a 10×10 board using the 50 dark squares, with 20 pieces per side.
Is capturing mandatory in International Draughts?
Yes. You must always take the line that captures the greatest number of pieces (maximum capture).
Can a man capture backward in International Draughts?
Men move forward only but may capture both forward and backward.
How do kings move in International Draughts?
Kings fly: they move any distance along an open diagonal and capture from a distance, landing on any empty square beyond the jumped piece.
Can a king be captured in International Draughts?
Yes. A king can be jumped and captured like any piece.
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