How to Play Checkers

Checkers has been around for centuries, but that doesn't mean it's just for nice old guys hanging out in the park. Check it out.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Chess & Checkers Set
• Checkerboards

1. Flip a coin to decide who will play red and who will play black. Whoever wins the toss chooses. The red player will make the opening move.

2. On the red player's side, place one red checker on each black square in the first three rows of squares.

3. On the black player's side, place one black checker on each black square in the first three rows of squares.

4. Make sure there are 12 staggered checkers on each side of the board with two empty rows in the middle.

5. The red player begins by moving one red checker forward diagonally onto an adjacent free black square.

6. Take turns moving one checker, one square forward diagonally, at a time.

7. 'Jump' your opponent's checker if it is in a square directly diagonal and adjacent to your own checker and there is a free square on the other side. To do this, move your checker over your opponent's checker and place it on the opposite square. Take possession of your opponent's jumped checker by removing it from the board.

8. If you jump a checker and land in a position to jump another of the other player's checkers, jump that checker as well during the same turn.

9. 'King' one of your checkers when it reaches the farthest row from your starting side (your opponent's back row). Signify a kinged checker by having your opponent stack one of your jumped checkers on top of the kinged checker. Kinged checkers can move both forward and backward, but still can only move diagonally to adjacent black squares, one square at a time. Only a kinged checker can move backward and forward.

10. The first player to remove all of the opponent's checkers from the board by jumping them - or who blocks his opponent so that he cannot move - wins the game.

Tips & Warnings

• If one of your checkers is in a position to jump, you must jump; the alternative is to forfeit the game.
• If more than one of your checkers is in a jumping position, you may choose which one will jump.
• Red and black are the most common colors for checkers. Other popular color pairs are black and white (white goes first) and white and red (red goes first).
• These rules are for standard American checkers. Other variations exist.

on 7/1/2006 Since a single cannot move backward, it can be forced to jump next to a king, which can then jump the single and anything else after the first jump. This is also a quick way to move the king.

on 12/27/2007 Making your opponent jump one of your pieces often leads to setting up a double-jump or even a triple-jump in your favor. This can be done easily with careful planning of two or three moves ahead. In many cases, at the end of the jump(s) your piece is set up for your opponent to eliminate. So be careful with this move!

on 11/22/2005 If you arrange 4 checkers in a diamond shape, the opponent cannot get any of those 4.

on 11/22/2005 In checkers, you are obliged to jump if you are in a position to do so. Sometimes you are obliged to jump the most pieces possible if given a choice.

on 11/22/2005 Try to keep your checkers that are in the back at the back. This makes it very difficult for your opponent to ever get kinged.