About the game
Play Checkers (draughts) online
Jump, chain, and crown kings: capture every enemy piece to win.
Play Checkers online free: the computer, a friend on one screen, or invite a friend online with a link. Jump, capture, crown kings. Also called draughts.
Play vs the computer, pass the phone to a friend, invite a friend online, or play someone new. When nobody’s free, one of our robot players may step in. Free, in your browser, no sign-up.
How to play Checkers
- 1Pick who you’re playing: the computer, a friend online with a room code, a friend on the same screen, or someone new with Quick match.
- 2Tap one of your pieces to select it, then tap a highlighted square to move it there.
- 3Men step diagonally forward one square, or jump an adjacent enemy piece to capture it.
- 4If a jump is available anywhere, you must take it; a multi-jump continues with the same piece, one hop per tap.
- 5Reach the far row to crown a king, which can move and jump backwards as well as forwards.
Rules
- American (English) draughts on an 8×8 board, 12 pieces a side, played on the dark squares only.
- Captures are forced: if any jump is available you must jump, though you may choose which one.
- Landing next to another capture continues the chain: the turn stays with you until no jump remains.
- A man reaching the opponent's back row is crowned a king, which ends the turn even mid-chain.
- You win when your opponent has no pieces left or no legal move; 80 quiet plies (no capture, no man move) is an automatic draw.
Checkers questions
How do you win at Checkers?
Take all your opponent's pieces, or leave them with no move. Keep your back row full for as long as you can: it stops them crowning kings.
Do you have to jump in Checkers?
Yes. If any jump is open you must take one, though you can choose which. A jump that lands next to another capture keeps going with the same piece.
How do kings work?
A piece that reaches the far row is crowned a king. Kings can move and jump backwards as well as forwards. Being crowned ends your turn, even in the middle of a chain of jumps.
Is Checkers the same as draughts?
Yes. We play American checkers, which is English draughts: an 8 by 8 board, 12 pieces each, on the dark squares only.
Is Checkers solved?
Yes. In 2007 Jonathan Schaeffer's team showed with their program Chinook that perfect play from both sides is always a draw.
Can I play Checkers with a friend online?
Yes. Tap Invite a friend and send them the link; when they open it you're in the same game. Or pass one phone or tablet between you.
How hard is the computer?
Three levels. Easy makes random moves, Medium picks the best move it can see right now, and Hard thinks a few moves ahead. Watch for jumps it can force you into.
The full guide, with strategy: Checkers for beginners: how to play and win