Checkers
Classic 8×8 American checkers — diagonal moves, multi-jump captures and kings — vs the computer or a friend.
Click a piece then a highlighted square · Arrow keys + Space/Enter · Jumps are mandatory by default · Z to undo
How to Play Checkers in 3 Steps
Select a piece
Red moves first from the bottom. Click one of your pieces to highlight every legal destination square in green.
Jump to capture
When an opponent piece sits diagonally adjacent with an empty square beyond it, you jump over it to capture. If the same piece can jump again from its landing square, the chain continues automatically.
Reach the back rank to crown a King
A piece reaching the far row is crowned (K) and can move and jump both forward and backward. Capture all enemy pieces or leave them with no legal move to win.
Controls & rules
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse / Touch |
|---|---|---|
| Select piece / destination | ← → ↑ ↓ then Space / Enter | Click / tap piece, then target square |
| Cancel selection | Backspace | Tap the selected piece again |
| Undo turn | Z | Tap Undo |
| New game | Space (when finished) | Tap New game |
Checkers — Frequently Asked Questions
Which ruleset does this use?
Standard American checkers (English draughts): an 8×8 board, 12 pieces per side on the dark squares, men move and jump one step diagonally forward, and kings move and jump one step diagonally in all four directions.
Why can’t I move a piece I want to move?
Under official rules, if any of your pieces can make a capture, you must capture. Pieces with a jump available are outlined; you can turn mandatory captures off in Game options for casual play.
How do multi-jumps work?
After a capture, if the same piece has another jump from its new square, it stays selected and only its continuation jumps are highlighted until the sequence finishes.
When is a game drawn?
If 40 moves pass without a capture or a man advancing, or if a player repeats the same position, you can start a fresh game or undo.
Is anything uploaded or tracked while I play?
No. The game runs entirely in your browser tab. Your best score or win tally is saved only in your browser’s localStorage and cleared when you press Reset.