Mastering the Rules of Checkers: Essential Tips for Online Gamers

Whether you want to play checkers online, or on a board in real life there are some rules and strategies that you will need to know. Happily, you can find all of these in our post below.

1. Basic Checkers Rules

Checkers at first glance, is a game that seems deceptively simple. This is both good and bad news because it means by learning the three most basic rules of checkers below you can pick up and begin playing. However, to truly hone your game, you’ll need to go beyond these three simple rules to the more advanced strategies mentioned below.

The three basic rules of checkers are:

1. Checkers can only move diagonally forward one space at a time (unless capturing an opponent) until they are kinged.
2. Checkers can only move dark squares.
3. Checkers can move forward and back once they are kinged. To be kinged a checker must make it all the way to the last row of the opposite side of the board.

2. How To Set Up The Board

You can’t play a game of checkers without first knowing how to properly set up the game board. The good news is that it's super easy.

1. First of all, choose who will play the first move. This person will play black or red.
2. Secondly, the remaining player will take the white counters.
3. Each player will take one side of the boar.d
4. Players will set out their checkers on the dark squares on their side of the board.
5. To do this property you must leave an empty light square in the right-hand corner for both players.
6. Checkers are placed on only the dark squares of the first three rows - 4 per row.

While it's easy to set up a game of checkers at home, it's not so easy to play on the go as you might not have access to a board, or a flat surface on which to play. The good news is that by playing online checkers you won't have to worry about this. Instead, as long as you have an internet connection you can play in any location. You can even choose the pass and play option which means you can play against friends present there with you.

3. Capturing Opponent's Pieces

In the game of checkers taking or capturing your opponent's pieces is a mandatory part of the game. That means if there is a piece you can take by humping over it to an empty square behind you have to do that.

Once a piece is captured you remove it from the board. The idea is that the more pieces you capture the fewer pieces your opponent has on the board, which makes it even harder to win.

Multiple jumps

Sometimes in checkers, you will find that once you have captured one piece you are in a position to capture another. This is known as a multiple jump and the mandatory rule still applies, so if you can take a piece you have to.

Multiple jumps can happen in a single turn and can continue until there are no opportunities for capture left. This means you can make a double, triple, quadruple or more jump if the opportunities exist.

4. Kinging Pieces Strategy

Kinging in checkers is something that happens to pieces that have reached the far side of the board. If you can get one of your pieces that far it is kinged. A kinged piece has the advantage of being able to move both forward and backward. However, the rules about always only diagonally, only moving on dark squares, and only moving one space unless captured still apply.

5. Tips For Winning Checkers Games

Now you know all the basics of rules checkers, you will benefit from the following tips which should help you win the game.

Checker tip 1: Do not play defensively

Checker is not a game that can be won defensibly because captures are forced. To that end, it makes most sense to play checkers aggressively if you want to win.

Checkers tip 2: Your goal should always be to get as many of your checkers kinged as possible.

King checkers are much more powerful pieces because they can move both forward and back across the board. That means you should always aim to get as many of your checkers kinged as possible.

Checkers tip 3: Keep your home row of checkers where they are

It's not that you should never move them. It's that you need to keep your home row in position until you really need them. This is because with your home row filled your opponent will not be able to get any of their pieces kinged, and so will be at a disadvantage.

6. Common Checkers Tactics

Just like chess, there are plenty of checkers tactics that you can learn to help increase the likelihood of winning a game.

Common Tactic 1: Sacrifice & think long term

Often in checkers, it's better to sacrifice a single piece to provide better opportunities further down the line.

Common tactic 2: Stay together

Checkers on their own are vulnerable to attack. Move your checkers in pairs across two turns as there is strength in numbers.

Common tactic 3: Seize the center

Just like in chess, the center of a checker's board is a location with a tactical advantage. To that end, stay away from the sides, and occupy as much of the center as you can.

7. Advanced Checkers Strategies

Now you know the basic tactics that will help you win the game, you can further develop your skills by using these more advanced moves.

Advanced Checkers Strategy 1: The double corner opening

Ensure you have pieces in the right-hand corners closest to you. This will give you a safe place for kinging, and help with your defense.

Advanced checkers strategy 2: Forced multi-capture moves

Always be on the lookout for situations where you can force your opponent into making a move that will lead to you completing a multi-captureTo do this you will need to get as much practice as you can with the game so you can start to see these opportunities as they arise.

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