Last updated: March 2026
What Is Checkers?
Checkers (also called draughts) is one of the oldest board games in history, with origins tracing back over 5,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia. The game is played on an 8×8 board with 12 pieces per player, where the goal is to capture all of your opponent's pieces or block them from making any legal moves.
American checkers follows a specific set of rules: pieces move diagonally forward one square at a time, captures are mandatory when available, and multi-jump chains must be completed. When a piece reaches the opponent's back row, it becomes a king and gains the ability to move and capture in all four diagonal directions.
Despite its simple rules, checkers has remarkable strategic depth. In 2007, researchers at the University of Alberta solved checkers computationally after 18 years of calculation, proving that perfect play by both sides results in a draw. This makes it the most complex game ever solved, with approximately 500 billion billion possible board positions.
How to Play
Select your mode and difficulty. Choose “vs AI” to play against the computer at Easy, Medium, or Hard difficulty, or “2 Player” for pass-and-play with a friend. You always play as Red and move first.
Click a piece to see its legal moves. Your selected piece glows green, and available destination squares are marked with green dots. If a capture is available anywhere on the board, you must take it — only capture moves will be shown.
Complete multi-jump chains. When a piece captures an opponent's piece and lands on a square where another capture is possible, it must continue jumping. The game handles this automatically by showing the final destination of the full chain.
Promote to kings. When your piece reaches the opponent's back row, it becomes a king (marked with a gold crown). Kings can move and capture both forward and backward, making them significantly more powerful than regular pieces.
Checkers Strategy Guide
Control the center. Pieces in the center of the board have more mobility and create more tactical opportunities. Avoid clustering your pieces on the edges where they can be cornered.
Protect your back row. Keeping at least one piece on your back row prevents your opponent from easily promoting kings. A well-timed king can dominate the endgame.
Trade when ahead. If you have a material advantage, simplify the position by trading captures. A two-piece advantage in an endgame is usually decisive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this checkers game completely free?
Yes, 100% free with no ads, no signup, and no downloads. The game runs entirely in your browser. Play unlimited games against the AI at any difficulty or pass-and-play with a friend.
What checkers rules does this game use?
This game follows standard American checkers (English draughts) rules. Pieces move diagonally forward, captures are mandatory, multi-jump chains must be completed, and pieces become kings when reaching the opponent's back row. Kings can move and capture in all four diagonal directions.
How strong is the AI on Hard difficulty?
The Hard AI uses minimax search with alpha-beta pruning at depth 6, evaluating thousands of positions per move. It considers piece values, king advantage, center control, back row defense, and piece advancement. It plays at a strong intermediate level and is challenging for most casual players.
Can I play checkers on my phone?
Yes. The board is fully responsive with a minimum size of 300px and touch-friendly pieces (36px minimum). Tap a piece to select it, then tap a green dot to move. Works on all mobile devices and tablets.