Spanish Draughts Rules
Spanish draughts mixes a familiar feature of checkers, men that only move and capture forward, with flying kings and two strict capture rules: take the most pieces, and if two routes take the same number, take the most kings. The result is a game where kings are powerful but men are vulnerable, and where capture choices can be calculated precisely.
Play it on this site
Open the menu (☰), choose Rules and pick Spanish. A new game starts against the computer, or against a friend on the same screen.
Rules
Board and setup
Spanish draughts uses 32 dark squares and 12 pieces per side. The official game is played with the board turned the other way, with the double corner on the left, and White moves first. The rules are symmetric, so this only changes opening theory. On this site all 8x8 variants share one board: you play Black at the bottom and move first.
Moving
Men move one square diagonally forward and never backward. Kings fly: a king may move any number of empty squares along a diagonal in any direction.
Capturing
- Capturing is compulsory.
- Men capture forward only, never backward.
- A flying king may capture an enemy piece from a distance, if the squares in between are empty, and land on any empty square beyond it.
- Quantity rule: you must choose the capture that takes the most pieces.
- Quality rule: if several captures take the same number of pieces, you must choose the one that takes the most kings.
- A multi-capture must be completed. Captured pieces stay on the board until the move ends and cannot be jumped twice.
Crowning
A man that reaches the far row becomes a king. If it gets there during a capture, it is crowned and the move ends there. Only one of our sources states this explicitly; another leaves it open.
Winning and draws
You win when your opponent has no pieces left or cannot move. On this site 40 moves each with no capture and no crowning is a draw.
Differences from American checkers
| Rule | American | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| 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 | Most kings |
| Man reaches the far row during a capture | Crowned, move ends | Crowned, move ends * |
| Captured pieces are removed | At once | 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.
Strategy tips
- Protect your men from behind. Men cannot capture backward, so a king that gets behind your lines can attack without fear of a counter-capture from men.
- Get the first king. A flying king facing forward-only men is extremely strong, often decisive.
- Use both capture rules to predict replies. Count pieces first, then kings, to know exactly which capture your opponent must make.
- Keep kings away from long, open lines of enemy pieces where a long forced capture could pull them into a trap.
- Advance in tight groups. Isolated men in the middle of the board are easy targets for a flying king.
Frequently asked questions
What are the quantity and quality rules in Spanish draughts?
Quantity: you must make the capture that takes the most pieces. Quality: among captures of equal size, you must take the one that captures the most kings.
Can men capture backward in Spanish draughts?
No. Men move and capture forward only. Kings capture in all directions.
Do kings fly in Spanish draughts?
Yes. A king moves any number of empty squares along a diagonal and can capture from a distance.
Who moves first in Spanish draughts?
White, in the official game, which also uses a mirrored board. On this site you play Black and move first on the same board as the other 8x8 variants; the rules of play are unchanged.
What is the difference between Spanish and Italian draughts?
Spanish kings fly and men may capture kings; Italian kings move one square and men cannot capture kings. Both require you to take the most pieces, but the tie-breaks differ: Spanish looks at the number of kings captured, while Italian first prefers a capture made by a king.
Is Spanish draughts played on the same board as checkers?
Yes: an 8x8 board with 12 pieces per side on the dark squares. Only the orientation of the board and the first player differ in the official game.
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.
- 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