Checkers

How to Play Checkers?

The classic game of Checkers, or Draughts, is a strategic board game with a rich history dating back centuries.
It is traditionally played on a checkered board with two players taking turns moving their pieces diagonally across the squares.
The objective is to capture all of your opponent's pieces or block them so they can't move.

Over time, different variants of checkers have emerged, each with its own unique rules and gameplay nuances.
In our version of the game, you have the flexibility to choose from various presets like International Draughts, Straight Checkers, Pool Checkers , and more.
Alternatively, you can customize your own set of rules to match your preferred style of play.

The Rules

Here are some common rules that apply across most variants:

• Diagonal Movement: Pawns move diagonally forward.
• Capture Moves: Pieces can capture opponents by jumping over them diagonally.
• King Promotion: When a pawn reaches the opposite end of the board, it becomes a king, allowing it to move and capture in multiple directions.

Now let's go through the many options and settings you can customize before you start playing, to tailor the game to your liking:

• Difficulty: Choose from easy, medium, hard, or ultra AI opponents.
• Board Set: Select either an 8x8 board with 8 pawns each, 8x8 with 12 pawns each, or a larger 10x10 board with 20 pawns each.
• Opening Move: Decide whether the white or the black pawns move first.
• Your Team: Play as White, Black, or let it be chosen randomly.
• King Moves: Decide whether kings can move one step at a time or any distance.
• Capture Direction (for regular pawns): Choose between forward only, both directions, or "forward first" (where only the first jump in a sequence must be a forward jump).
• Skip Capture Moves: Choose how skipping a mandatory jump is handled:
  • Illegal: Capture is mandatory, it is impossible to perform a different move.
  • No penalty: The player doesn't have to capture and is free to choose any possible move without being penalized.
  • Huffing: An offending pawn that skips a jump is removed by the opponent.
  • Reverse huffing: An offending pawn that skips a jump is removed by the player.
  
  
• Additional rules that you can toggle on or off:
  • Regular pieces can't capture kings.
  • Force move that captures the most pieces (overrules the following rule).
  • Jump with a king first if possible.
  • Jumping kings must land directly behind the captured piece.
  • Jumping kings can continue a jump in the direction from which they came (requires the following rule).
  • Captured pieces are removed immediately.
  • Rotated board - the checkered pattern is rotated by 90 degrees.

Strategy Tips

• Control the Center: Dominating the squares in the center of the board provides you with greater mobility and more options for both offense and defense. Aim to advance your pieces to the center while preventing your opponent from doing the same.
• Maintain a Balanced Formation: Avoid spreading your pieces too thin across the board. Keep them in a balanced formation. This might help you get better support and defense against your opponent's attacks.
• Plan Multiple Moves Ahead: Think several moves ahead to anticipate your opponent's strategy and set up your own tactics. Look for opportunities to create multiple jumps or trap your opponent's pieces.
• Forced Moves and Sacrifices: Try forcing your opponent into making moves that benefit you. This might involve sacrificing a piece to open up a path for a more advantageous play.
• Promote Your Pawns: Focus on advancing your pawns to the opposite side of the board to crown them as kings. Kings are more powerful as they can move and capture in multiple directions, providing a significant strategic advantage.
• Prevent Opponent's Kings: Try to block or delay your opponent's pawns from being crowned. This can be achieved by controlling key squares and setting up defensive formations.
• Multiple Jumps Opportunities: Set up your pieces in a way that creates opportunities for double or triple jumps. This not only allows you to capture more pieces but also disrupts your opponent's strategy.
• Endgame Strategy: In the endgame, having more kings and controlling key squares becomes crucial. Focus on limiting your opponent's mobility and forcing them into positions where you can capture their remaining pieces.
• Adapt to Your Opponent's Style: Pay attention to how your opponent plays. If they are aggressive, be prepared to defend and counterattack. If they are defensive, look for openings to penetrate their setup.