Printable Checkers rules

Checkers in one page

2 players · checkerboard · 12 checkers each

Each player puts 12 checkers on the dark squares of the three rows nearest them. Pieces move one square diagonally forward, and you capture by jumping over an enemy piece to the empty square beyond. Jumping is mandatory, a piece reaching the far row becomes a king that can move backward, and you win when your opponent has no legal move left.

In brief

• Dark square in your near left corner
• 12 pieces each on the dark squares of your first 3 rows
• Darker color moves first
• Men move 1 square diagonally forward
• Jump an adjacent enemy piece to the empty square beyond
• Jumping is mandatory; you choose which jump
• Keep jumping with the same piece if you can
• Reach the far row: crowned, and your turn ends
• Kings move and jump forward or backward
• Win: opponent has no pieces or no legal move
• Draw: agreement, threefold repetition or 40-move rule

Setup

1. Place the board so each player has a dark square in the near left corner and a light square in the near right corner. The corner on your right, with two dark squares close together, is called the double corner.
2. Only the 32 dark squares are used. Each player puts their 12 checkers on the dark squares of the three rows closest to them, leaving the two middle rows empty.
3. The player with the darker pieces moves first. On most US sets that's black against red. Official WCDF sets are red and white, and red goes first. In a series of games, players switch colors each game.

On your turn

1. On your turn, move one of your pieces. An uncrowned piece (a man) moves one square diagonally forward, to the left or right, onto an empty dark square.
2. Capture by jumping. If an enemy piece sits diagonally next to your piece and the square just beyond it is empty, jump over it to that square and remove the enemy piece from the board. Men jump forward only.
3. If you can jump, you must. When more than one capture is available, you may choose any of them, even one that takes fewer pieces.
4. Keep jumping with the same piece while more jumps are open to it. A multiple jump can change direction, but once it starts you have to finish it.
5. When one of your men reaches the far row, it is crowned by stacking a second checker of the same color on top of it. Crowning ends your turn, even if the new king could jump again right away.
6. A king moves one square diagonally in any direction, forward or backward, and captures by jumping in any direction.

Scoring

Winning

The player who makes the last move wins. Your opponent loses when they can't move, whether their pieces are all captured or all stuck. If neither side can force a win, the game is a draw. Computer analysis finished in 2007 showed checkers is a draw with perfect play.