International Draughts Rules (10x10)
International draughts is the 10x10 version of the game, the one governed by the FMJD, the World Draughts Federation. With 20 pieces per side, backward-capturing men, flying kings and a compulsory most-pieces rule, it is deeper and more tactical than any 8x8 variant. This page summarises the rules this site plays, including the draw rules.
Play it on this site
Choose International 10x10 in the mode menu at the top of the game. You play White at the bottom and move first; the computer plays Black at three difficulty levels.
Rules
Board and setup
The board has 10 rows and 10 columns, and only the 50 dark squares are used. They are numbered 1 to 50 for writing down moves. Each side has 20 pieces: Black starts on squares 1 to 20 and White on squares 31 to 50, leaving two empty rows in the middle. White moves first.
Moving
Men move one square diagonally forward. Kings fly: a king may move any number of empty squares along a diagonal, forward or backward.
Capturing
- Capturing is compulsory.
- Men capture forward and backward, jumping an adjacent enemy piece onto the empty square behind it.
- A flying king may capture an enemy piece any distance away along a diagonal, if the squares in between are empty, and land on any empty square beyond it.
- Most-pieces rule: you must play the capture sequence that takes the largest number of pieces. A king counts the same as a man. If several sequences take the same number, you may choose.
- Captured pieces stay on the board until the whole move is complete. A piece cannot be jumped twice, and pieces waiting to be removed still block the path; this is sometimes called the Turkish strike.
Crowning
A man becomes a king only if it ends its move on the far row. If it reaches the far row during a capture and then continues capturing away from it, it is not crowned and keeps capturing as a man.
Winning and draws
- You win when your opponent has no pieces left or no legal move.
- The same position with the same side to move occurring for the third time is a draw.
- 25 moves by each side in which only kings move and nothing is captured is a draw.
- If one side has only one king and the other has three pieces including at least one king, the game is a draw after 16 more moves each.
- If one side has only one king and the other has at most two pieces including at least one king, the game is a draw after 5 more moves each.
We could not read the official FMJD rule book directly. These draw rules come from several secondary sources that agree, and the move generator is checked against positions from the rule book quoted in those sources.
Differences from American checkers
| Rule | American | International 10x10 |
|---|---|---|
| Board | 8x8 | 10x10 |
| Pieces per side | 12 | 20 |
| Capturing is compulsory | Yes | Yes |
| A started capture must be completed | Yes | Yes |
| Men capture backward | No | Yes |
| Kings fly (move any distance) | No | Yes |
| Men may capture kings | Yes | Yes |
| Must capture the most pieces | No | Yes |
| Further capture priority | Free choice | Free choice |
| Man reaches the far row during a capture | Crowned, move ends | Crowned only if the capture ends there |
| Captured pieces are removed | At once | At the end of the move |
Strategy tips
- Count the longest capture for both sides. The most-pieces rule is the engine of almost every combination: a sacrifice forces one exact reply.
- Keep a compact formation. Holes in your position invite captures from both directions, because men capture backward.
- Control the center. On the larger board, central pieces support each other and limit your opponent's development.
- Do not rush to exchange. With 20 pieces each, the side that runs out of safe moves first often has to give up material.
- Convert an advantage before it comes down to one king. The endgame draw rules give a lone king good drawing chances against small material edges.
Frequently asked questions
How many pieces are used in international draughts?
20 per side, on a 10x10 board using the 50 dark squares.
Who moves first in international draughts?
White. On this site you play White and move first against the computer.
Can men capture backward in international draughts?
Yes. Men move only forward, but they capture forward and backward.
Does capturing a king count for more under the most-pieces rule?
No. Kings and men count the same; only the number of pieces matters.
What is the 25-move rule?
If both sides make 25 moves in a row in which only kings move and nothing is captured, the game is a draw.
Other rule sets
- 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.
- Checkers without forced captureHouse rule for any 8x8 variant: you may skip a capture and make a normal move.
- All checkers rules and variantsCheckers Rules and Variants