Checkers rules

Basics (same in every variant)

• Play happens on dark squares only, along diagonals. A man moves one square forward.
• Capturing is MANDATORY: if you can take, you must. Skipping a capture is not allowed.
• Chains: after a capture, if the same piece can capture again, you continue within the same turn for as long as targets remain.
• A man that ENDS its move on the last rank becomes a king.
• You lose when you have no pieces or no legal moves left.

Russian draughts (default)

• 8×8 board, 12 pieces each, white moves first.
• Men capture both forward and backward (but move forward only).
• Kings fly: they move and capture any number of squares along a diagonal.
• A man reaching the last rank mid-chain is crowned immediately and continues the same chain as a king.

International draughts

• 10×10 board, 20 pieces each.
• Majority rule: among several possible captures you must pick the one that removes the most pieces.
• Kings fly, as in Russian draughts.
• Promotion is stricter: only a man that ENDS its move on the last rank is crowned. Passing through mid-chain does not count.

English checkers

• 8×8 board, dark moves first.
• Men capture forward only.
• Kings do not fly: they move and capture one square diagonally (in any direction though).
• Reaching the last rank mid-chain ends the move — no chain continuation.

Draws

• By agreement: offer a draw with the button — your opponent accepts or declines.
• Automatic: 60 consecutive half-moves with no captures and no man moves (kings only shuffling).
• Automatic: the same position occurs 3 times.

Clocks

Online games use Fischer clocks: “5+3” = 5 minutes per game + 3 seconds per move. Presets range from 1+0 bullet to 15+10 rapid. Run out of time and you lose.

Online 1v1 games are Elo-rated (starting at 1500). AI games and hotseat leave your rating untouched.