How to Play Checkers: Simple Rules and Strategies for Beginners

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Have you ever seen a black and white board with round pieces and wondered how to play checkers? This classic game has been enjoyed by people around the world for thousands of years. Checkers is easy to play, and the game offers both fun and mental exercise for players of all ages.

Many people think that how to play checkers is difficult to learn, but this game actually has simple rules that anyone can understand. Unlike chess, which has different moves for different pieces, checkers pieces all move the same way. The game combines basic rules with interesting strategies, making it perfect for beginners and experienced players alike.

In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about how to play checkers. We also have some helpful tips and strategies for beginners to master this game. We gathered the information from various sources, Monday (21/4/2025).

Checkers is a two-player board game played on a square board with 64 squares arranged in an 8×8 grid. The board has alternating dark and light squares, and players can only move their pieces on the dark squares. The game is also known as "draughts" in some countries like the United Kingdom and Russia.

Checkers has a very long history. The earliest version of the game was found in ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) and dates back to around 3000 BC. The modern version of checkers that we play today was created in France around 1100 AD. This version introduced the 64-square board and the concept of "kings" that can move backward.

The goal of checkers is simple: capture all of your opponent's pieces or block them so they cannot make any more moves. Players take turns moving their pieces diagonally across the board. When one player cannot make any more legal moves, the game ends, and the other player wins.

Setting Up the Board

To start playing checkers, you need a checkerboard and 24 pieces (12 for each player). Place the board between you and your opponent so each player has a light square in the bottom right corner. One player uses dark pieces (usually black or red), and the other uses light pieces (usually white).

Place your 12 checkers on the dark squares of the first three rows closest to you. Each player should have their pieces on opposite sides of the board. The middle two rows remain empty at the start of the game.

The player with the dark pieces always goes first in checkers. Players then take turns moving one piece at a time.

Basic Rules of Movement

In checkers, pieces can only move diagonally on dark squares. At the beginning of the game, pieces can only move forward (toward the opponent's side). With each turn, you can move one piece of square diagonally forward to an empty dark square.

If your piece is next to your opponent's piece and there is an empty square on the other side, you must "jump" over their piece. To jump, move your piece two squares diagonally (over the opponent's piece) and land on the empty square. After jumping, you remove the opponent's piece from the board.

If, after jumping, your piece can immediately jump another opponent's piece, you must continue jumping until no more jumps are possible. This is called a "multiple jump" or "double jump."

Kings and Advanced Movement

When your piece reaches the last row on your opponent's side of the board, it becomes a "king." To show that a piece is a king, place one of your captured pieces on top of it, or flip it over if your checkers have a crown design on the back.

Kings have special movement powers. Unlike regular pieces that can only move forward, kings can move both forward and backward diagonally. This makes kings much more powerful than regular pieces.

Kings still move only one square at a time during normal moves. When capturing, kings follow the same jumping rules as regular pieces, but they can jump in any diagonal direction (forward or backward).

How to Win

There are two ways to win a game of checkers:

1. Capture all of your opponent's pieces by jumping over them

2. Block all of your opponent's pieces so they cannot make any legal moves

The game ends in a draw if neither player can force a win or if the same position occurs three times.

Control the Center

One important strategy in checkers is to control the center of the board. The center squares give your pieces more options to move. If you control the center, you can more easily advance your pieces toward your opponent's side to make kings.

Try to keep your pieces near the center rather than at the edges of the board. Pieces at the edges have fewer movement options and can get trapped more easily.

Keep Your Pieces Together

Moving your pieces as a group provides better protection. When pieces work together, they can protect each other from being captured. A single piece alone is easy to capture, but a group of pieces supporting each other is much stronger.

Try to move your pieces forward in pairs or small groups. This way, if your opponent captures one of your pieces, you can often capture one of theirs in return.

Plan Your Jumps Carefully

Sometimes, it's better to sacrifice one of your pieces if it means you can capture two or more of your opponent's pieces afterward. This is called a "sacrifice play" and can be very effective.

Before making a move, always look at the entire board to see if your move might set up your opponent for a multiple jump. Similarly, try to set up situations where your opponent must make a move that allows you to make a multiple jump on your next turn.

Protect Your Back Row

Try to keep pieces in your back row for as long as possible. This prevents your opponent from easily making kings. Once your opponent gets a king, the game becomes much harder for you.

Only move pieces from your back row when necessary or when you have a clear strategic advantage for doing so.

Kings Are Valuable

Work toward making kings whenever possible. Kings are much more powerful than regular pieces because they can move in any diagonal direction. Even one king can sometimes turn the game in your favor.

At the same time, try to prevent your opponent from making kings. If your opponent has a piece that is one move away from becoming a king, try to capture it or block it if possible.