Guide Note

Checkers is a two-player board game with a board marked with an eight by eight grid often colored black and red or black and white.

Fast Facts

1. Price range: $1-$200¹
2. Board: 8x8 squares
3. 24 pieces
4. For ages 7 and up
5. Players: 2
6. The game of alquerque is thought to be a predecessor²
7. David B. Fogel designed a program that taught itself to play checkers³

1. Players sit on opposite sides of the game board. Each player chooses their color piece, commonly red or black.
2. The pieces should be lined up on the dark colored squares of the board, beginning at the bottom four in each row for the first three rows.
3. Each player takes a turn moving a pieces one space diagonally across the board. The pieces must move only on dark colored squares and only forward on the board in the opposite direction the opponent moves.
4. In order to capture an opponent's piece, a player must jump diagonally over the piece intended for capture. More than one piece can be captured in one move if there is a path of diagonal jumps that can be made. Captured pieces are removed from the board.
5. Once a piece has gets to the opposite side the board, it is crowned by either being turned over or by using a captured piece layered over it so that it can be distinguished from the other pieces. A crowned piece, or a king, is capable of moving forwards and backwards across the board.
6. The game continues until the losing player has no more pieces or can't move any pieces.