Pool Checkers Rules
Pool Checkers plays on the same 8×8 board as American Checkers but with flying kings and backward captures — and, unlike Brazilian or International Draughts, you may take any capture line you like.
Play Pool Checkers 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. Black moves first, then players alternate.
Moving
- Men move one square diagonally forward to an empty dark square.
- Men move forward only, but 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.
- Free capture choice: when several capturing sequences are available, you may choose any of them. There is no maximum-capture rule — this is the key difference from Brazilian and International Draughts, where you must take the line that captures the most 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 when its move ends on the far row. If a man passes through the far row in the middle of a capture sequence, it keeps jumping as a man and only crowns if the sequence ends there. 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, when no progress (no capture or man move) is made for 40 moves by each side, or under the codified endgame rule: a side with three kings against a lone king must win within 13 moves by each side, or the game is a draw.
Know the rules and want to win more? Learn strategy in our complete Pool Checkers strategy guide and the rest of the lessons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who moves first in Pool Checkers?
Black moves first, then players alternate turns.
Is capturing mandatory in Pool Checkers?
Yes, and multi-jumps continue until no further capture is possible. There is no maximum-capture rule, so when several capturing lines are available you may take any of them.
Can a man capture backward in Pool Checkers?
Men move forward only, but they may capture both forward and backward.
How do kings move in Pool Checkers?
Kings are flying: they move any number of empty squares along a diagonal and capture from a distance, landing on any empty square beyond the jumped piece.
How is Pool Checkers different from Brazilian Draughts?
Both use the 8×8 board, flying kings, and backward captures, but Pool lets you take any capture line, while Brazilian forces the line that captures the most pieces.
Can a king be captured in Pool Checkers?
Yes. A king can be jumped and captured just like a man.
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