Checkers
Also known as: Draughts / English DraughtsCheckers is a board game for 2 players that takes about 10 minutes. Pieces step diagonally forward and capture by jumping; take all of your opponent's pieces to win. Free. In-browser. No account.
Joining is free, and no account is needed.Learn how to play (3 min)
Checkers in 30 seconds
- Set upOnly the dark squares of the 8×8 board are used. Each player fills the three ranks nearest them with twelve pieces. Black moves first.
- Take turnsA piece steps one square diagonally forward onto an empty square. If an enemy piece sits diagonally ahead with an empty square beyond it, you jump over and capture it.
- CaptureIf a capture is available you must take it. If the same piece can jump again from where it landed, it keeps jumping.
- WinTake every enemy piece, or leave your opponent with no legal move, and you win.
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 players |
| Play time | About 10 min |
| Type | Board |
| Ranked play | Yes |
| Practice against the CPU | Yes |
| Price | Free (no account needed) |
| Rights holder | A public-domain classic game |
| Last updated | 2026-09-14 |
How to play Checkers online
- Tap "Play with friends"A party is created with a 6-character code. No account is needed.
- Send a link or QR codeShare it on LINE, or just read the code aloud.
- Everyone opens it in a browserOnce 2 players have joined, the host taps "Start".
Rule highlights
Setup
- Two players. You need an 8×8 board and twelve pieces each.
- Only the dark squares are used. Put one piece on every dark square of the three ranks nearest you.
- Whoever sat down first plays Black and moves first; the other plays Red. Players then alternate, one move each.
How to play
- An ordinary piece steps one square diagonally forward onto an empty square. It never moves sideways, straight ahead, or backwards.
- If an enemy piece sits on the square diagonally ahead and the square directly beyond it is empty, you jump over that piece and take it off the board.
- If a capture is available you must make one (a house rule can switch this off). When several captures are available, you may choose any of them.
- If the same piece can jump again from where it landed, it does: your turn continues while the jumps continue, and passes only when no further jump is possible.
- A jump sequence, once begun, cannot be stopped halfway. The house rule about taking applies only to the start of a turn.
- A piece that reaches the far rank is crowned a king and is marked. A king steps one square in any of the four diagonal directions and jumps in all four.
- Being crowned ends the turn. Even if another jump is there, the new king waits until your next turn.
- You may not pass. On your turn you must move.
Winning
- Take every one of your opponent's pieces and you win.
- You also win if your opponent has no legal move at all, and either player may resign.
- If the same position appears three times, the game is a draw.
- If forty moves pass, counting both players, with no capture and no move by an ordinary piece, the game is a draw. It ends endgames where kings only circle each other.
House rules
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capture is forced | When a capture is available, you have to take it. Switch it off to allow any legal move instead. | On | Yes |
| Show legal squares | Mark the squares a selected piece can reach, and the enemy pieces that can be taken. | On | Yes |
| Swap who starts | Swap Black and Red after each game. | On | Yes |
| Move limit | Draw the game once this many moves have been played. For tables that want to cut a long game short. | None | Yes |
FAQ
How many players?
Two. One plays Black, the other Red. Black moves first.
How long is a game?
About 10 minutes. There is no clock.
Can I practise alone?
Yes. Press Play vs CPU to play the computer, at either Easy or Normal.
How is it different from chess?
There is only one kind of piece, and it travels diagonally on the dark squares. You capture by jumping, and the aim is to take every enemy piece rather than to trap a king.
Can a game be drawn?
Yes — by threefold repetition, or when forty moves pass with no capture and no ordinary piece moved. Tables that set a move limit also draw at that number of moves.
Why do pieces only move diagonally?
Because only the dark squares are in play. Moving diagonally keeps every piece on a dark square for the whole game.
Can I play at school or work (unblocked)?
Yes. Checkers runs entirely in your browser, with nothing to download or install, so it works on most school and work networks that block app stores or game downloads. If your network blocks the whole site, ask an administrator to allow boardgamejoin.com.
Is there a 2 player mode?
Yes — Checkers is played by exactly 2 people.
Can I play against the computer?
Yes. Press “Play vs CPU” on the Checkers page to start right away against a computer opponent — no waiting for other players.
Can I play on a phone?
Yes. No app is needed — just open it in a browser. You can join the same party as people on a PC or tablet.
Can two people play?
Yes. This game supports 2 or more players.
Rights holder and physical edition
This is a public-domain classic game. The rules follow the standard reference rules.
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Same player count
Last updated 2026-09-14 · Run by Qdan, Inc.