checkers

Checkers is played on a standard 64 square board. Only the 32 dark colored squares are used in play. Each player begins the game with 12 pieces, or checkers, placed in the three rows closest to him or her.

The object of the game is to capture all of your opponent’s checkers or position your pieces so that your opponent has no available moves. Basic movement is to move a checker one space diagonally forward. If a jump is available, you must take the jump, as described in the next question and answer.

Jumping

If one of your opponent’s checkers is on a diagonal next to one of your checkers, and the next space beyond the opponent’s checker is empty, then your checker must jump the opponent’s checker and land in the space beyond. Your opponent’s checker is captured and removed from the board.

After making one jump, your checker might have another jump available from its new position. Your checker must take that jump too. It must continue to jump until there are no more jumps available. Both men and kings are allowed to make multiple jumps. If, at the start of a turn, more than one of your checkers has a jump available, then you may decide which one you will move. But once you have chosen one, it must take all the jumps that it can. You can also jump backwards.
Crowning

When one of your checkers reaches the opposite side of the board, it is crowned and becomes a King.

A King can move backward as well as forward along the diagonals.
A King can also jump backward and forward. It must jump when possible, and it must take all jumps that are available to it.