Russian Draughts Rules (Shashki)
Russian draughts, called shashki in Russian, uses the same 8x8 board and 12 pieces per side as American checkers, but its captures are far more dynamic. Men can capture backward, kings fly along whole diagonals, and a man that is crowned in the middle of a capture keeps jumping as a king. Here is the full rule set as played on this site, followed by tips and answers to common questions.
Play it on this site
Open the menu (☰), choose Rules and pick Russian. A new game starts with Russian rules against the computer, or against a friend on the same screen.
Rules
Board and setup
The board and starting position are the same as in checkers: 32 dark squares and 12 pieces per side on the three nearest rows. In Russian draughts White traditionally moves first. On this site every 8x8 variant uses the same board and colours, so you play Black at the bottom and move first; the rules of play are the same either way.
Moving
Men move one square diagonally forward. A king may move any number of empty squares along a diagonal, forward or backward, in a single move. This is called a flying king.
Capturing
- Capturing is compulsory for men and kings alike.
- A man may capture forward or backward, by jumping an adjacent enemy piece onto the empty square behind it.
- A flying king captures from a distance: it may jump an enemy piece several squares away along a diagonal, provided the squares in between are empty, and it may land on any empty square beyond the captured piece.
- A multi-capture must be completed, and the capturing piece may change direction between jumps.
- When several captures are possible, you may choose any of them. Unlike Brazilian or international draughts, you do not have to take the largest number of pieces.
- Captured pieces stay on the board until the move is complete, and the same piece cannot be jumped twice. A piece that is waiting to be removed can therefore block the rest of a capture route.
Crowning
A man that reaches the far row becomes a king. If it gets there in the middle of a capture and can continue capturing, it continues at once as a king, with the king's long-range jumps. This is one of the biggest differences from American checkers, where crowning ends the turn.
Winning and draws
You win when your opponent has no pieces left or cannot move. Russian tournament rules include special draw rules for some endgames, such as three kings against one. This site does not apply them; it uses the same counter as its other 8x8 games, so 40 moves each with no capture and no crowning is a draw.
Differences from American checkers
| Rule | American | Russian |
|---|---|---|
| Board | 8x8 | 8x8 |
| Pieces per side | 12 | 12 |
| 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 | No |
| Further capture priority | Free choice | Free choice |
| Man reaches the far row during a capture | Crowned, move ends | Crowned, keeps capturing as a king |
| Captured pieces are removed | At once | At the end of the move |
Strategy tips
- Watch your back. A piece that would be safe in checkers can be captured from behind, so check backward jumps for both sides before every move.
- Stop crowning at almost any cost. A flying king controls whole diagonals and is often worth several men, especially early in the game.
- Control the long diagonal. A king on the longest diagonal of the board reaches the most squares and is hard to trap.
- Choose captures by the position they leave, not by their length. There is no most-pieces rule, so a short capture that keeps your pieces together is often better than a long one.
- Use the removal rule. Because jumped pieces stay on the board until the move ends, an opponent's long capture can be stopped halfway by its own victims. Set up positions where the capture has to stop next to your pieces.
- Keep pieces connected. Gaps in your formation invite both forward and backward captures.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to take the most pieces in Russian draughts?
No. Capturing is compulsory, but you may choose any available capture, even one that takes fewer pieces. Once you start a multi-capture you must finish it.
Can men capture backward in Russian draughts?
Yes. Men move only forward, but they capture both forward and backward.
What is a flying king?
A king that can move any number of empty squares along a diagonal, and capture an enemy piece from a distance, landing on any empty square beyond it.
What happens if a man reaches the last row during a capture?
It is crowned immediately and, if it can, continues the same capture as a king.
Who moves first in Russian draughts?
Traditionally White. On this site you always play Black at the bottom and move first, whichever 8x8 rule set you pick; the rules of play do not change.
Other rule sets
- American checkers8x8, forward-only men, one-square kings, free choice of captures.
- 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 checkers rules and variantsCheckers Rules and Variants