Checkers Rules and Variants
Checkers, or draughts, is a family of games rather than a single game. Every member uses diagonal moves and jumps, but the details change from country to country: whether kings fly, whether men capture backward, and which capture you must choose when there are several. This site lets you play eight rule sets. Pick one below for its full rules, or use the table to see the differences at a glance.
Rules
- American checkers8x8, forward-only men, one-square kings, free choice of captures.
- Russian draughts8x8, men capture backward, flying kings, a man crowned mid-capture keeps jumping.
- Brazilian draughts8x8, men capture backward, flying kings, you must capture the most pieces.
- Spanish draughts8x8, forward-only men, flying kings, capture the most pieces, then the most kings.
- Italian draughts8x8, one-square kings, men cannot capture kings, strict capture priorities.
- Czech draughts8x8, forward-only men, flying kings, a king must capture if it can.
- International draughts10x10, 20 pieces each, men capture backward, flying kings, capture the most pieces.
- Checkers without forced captureHouse rule for any 8x8 variant: you may skip a capture and make a normal move.
All rule sets compared
| Rule | American | Russian | Brazilian | Spanish | Italian | Czech | International 10x10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board | 8x8 | 8x8 | 8x8 | 8x8 | 8x8 | 8x8 | 10x10 |
| Pieces per side | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 20 |
| Capturing is compulsory | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| A started capture must be completed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Men capture backward | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Kings fly (move any distance) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Men may capture kings | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Must capture the most pieces | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Further capture priority | Free choice | Free choice | Free choice | Most kings | King captures first, then most kings, then earliest king | If a king can capture, a king must capture | Free choice |
| Man reaches the far row during a capture | Crowned, move ends | Crowned, keeps capturing as a king | Crowned only if the capture ends there | Crowned, move ends * | Crowned, move ends | Crowned, move ends * | Crowned only if the capture ends there |
| Captured pieces are removed | At once | At the end of the move | At the end of the move | At the end of the move | At the end of the move | At the end of the move | At the end of the move |
* Our rule sources are silent or disagree on this point; the value shown is how this site plays it.