Checkers with Russian rules — what changes
In the US, “checkers” usually means the American game: men move and jump only forward, and a king steps one square at a time. Our board runs Russian draughts, the version played across Russia and the former Soviet Union. Same 8×8 board, same 12 pieces each, same forced captures — but three rules change the whole feel of the game.
| Rule | American checkers | Russian (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Who moves first | Dark pieces | White |
| Men jump backward | No | Yes |
| King moves | One square | Any distance along a diagonal |
| King jumps | Over an adjacent piece | From a distance, lands on any empty square beyond |
| Crowned during a jump | The move ends | Keeps jumping as a king |
| Choice between captures | Free | Free |
Rules in seven lines
- Each side starts with 12 pieces on the dark squares of its first three rows. White moves first.
- A man moves one square diagonally forward.
- You capture by jumping an enemy piece to the empty square right behind it. Men can jump forward or backward.
- Capturing is mandatory. If you have several captures, pick any one — you don’t have to take the most pieces. Once a multi-jump starts, you finish it: as long as the same piece can keep jumping, your turn continues.
- A man that reaches the far row becomes a king (★). If that happens mid-jump, it carries on capturing as a king.
- A king moves any distance along a diagonal and lands on any free square past the piece it captures.
- You win by capturing all enemy pieces or blocking them so they have no legal move. A draw happens only at the limit of 300 moves in total, with every single jump counted.
How to play checkers online with a friend
Create a Checkers room and you get a link plus a four-character room code (letters and digits). Text the link or read out the code; your friend opens it on a phone or laptop, types a nickname and is at the board. No app, no account, no download.
- Two players, exactly. No friend around? The room host adds a bot with one tap.
- 60 seconds per move. The timer sits above the board. Run out and the server makes a move for you, so the game never stalls — but that move is rarely a good one.
- Your pieces at the bottom. The board flips for whoever plays Black. Tap a piece to see its target squares. When a capture is required, only the pieces that can jump light up; multi-jumps go one hop at a time.
- Rematch. The host starts a rematch and colors swap, so the second player gets to move first.
- Rating. Checkers is a rated game: an Elo rating starting at 1000 plus monthly seasons with leagues from Bronze to Legend. It works without an account, tied to your browser. Wins against the bot lift your season rating only up to Platinum; above that, you have to beat people.
For three to eight players, switch to Tournament mode: a bracket of checkers duels played one after another in the same room while everyone else watches. Scheduled evening tournaments (8 p.m. New York time) rotate games by day, checkers included. There are no rule settings: always Russian draughts, no giveaway or 10×10 international.
Tips for American checkers players
- Check your back. Your men can be jumped from behind, so a piece that has run ahead alone is a target.
- Before every move, ask where you’ll be forced to jump next. The classic shot: your opponent gives up one piece, you must take it, and that lands you where they take two. Use the same trick yourself.
- Respect the flying king. One king can control a whole diagonal, so don’t leave long open lines toward your pieces. Keeping a few men on your back row delays your opponent’s promotion.
- Don’t wait for the clock — the auto-move doesn’t see combinations.
- The bot plays simply: it captures when it can and pushes for kings, otherwise it moves at random. Fine for learning the rules or playing with kids; for a real fight, invite a friend. Same rated duels: chess, backgammon.
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