Play Summer Checkers

Summer checkers in your browser

Summer checkers on Checkers Online is the full game in summer dress. Red pieces carry a watermelon slice, yellow pieces carry a smiling sun, and the board has terracotta and pale peach squares. It's free, you don't need an account, and the board above is ready to play.

The theme changes the look and nothing else. The rules, the computer opponent, your rating and your saved games all match the classic checkers board, so you can start a game on one page and finish it on the other.

What the summer board looks like

• Watermelons and suns: every Red piece shows a watermelon slice, and every Yellow piece shows a smiling sun with rays. Red plays the side the rules call Black, so Red moves first and the status line reads "Red's turn" and "Red wins".
• Crowned kings: a king still wears a crown, above a smaller copy of its watermelon or sun.
• Terracotta and peach squares: the pieces sit on the deep red-orange terracotta squares. The pale peach ones stay empty.
• A dark brown frame runs around the squares.

The header and footer turn burnt brown, and the main buttons turn orange. Behind the board, faint rays fan out in a still sunburst with a soft glow. Nothing in the background moves, so the reduce-motion setting changes nothing here. The page stays up all year.

Who to play this summer

• The computer: four levels, from beginner to hard.
• Someone next to you: press 2 Players and pass the phone or tablet between moves, on a long car ride or a rainy afternoon indoors.
• A friend who's away for the summer: 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.

Your opponent sees the board from their own page. If they came in through the homepage, they get the classic black and white pieces while your screen stays red and yellow. Chat is six preset emotes, with no typing. Quick matches and lobby challenges are rated with Glicko-2, guests included. Private games are not. The ratings page explains the numbers.

The rules on the summer 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. Prefer optional jumps? Use checkers with no forced jump. Every rule is set out on the checkers rules page.

Phones, tablets and playing on the road

You don't download anything. 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, so you can stop mid-game and pick it up later. Play one computer game while you have a connection, and after that those games work offline too, which helps on a plane or anywhere without signal. You can also install the site as an app.

More to play after the first game

For something different, try Chinese Checkers, or compare the other versions of draughts in the checkers variants guide. The daily puzzle gives you one position to solve each day, and the strategy lessons help you play better. To play away from the screen, print one of the free printable checkers boards.

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

Frequently asked questions

Does my opponent see the summer 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 watermelons and suns.

Is summer checkers free, and do I need an account?

Yes, it's free. You don't need an account or a download. Open the page and play the computer, a friend beside you, 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 takes Black's place, so Red makes the opening move.

Can I play offline while I travel?

Yes, against the computer or with a friend on the same screen. Play one computer game while you have a connection, and after that those games work offline. Online games still need a connection.

Do my saved games, rating and stats carry over?

Yes. This page and the homepage share one save slot, one rating and one set of win stats, so you can start a game here and finish it there. There is no separate summer rating.

Does the background move?

No. Faint rays fan out behind the board in a still sunburst, with a soft glow. Nothing in it moves, so the reduce-motion setting on your device changes nothing on this page.