Checkers
Checkers 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.
Play over time
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 with friends
- 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, play, winning, and house rules
Setup
- Two players, an 8×8 board and twelve pieces each.
- Only the dark squares are used. Place one piece on every dark square of the three rows nearest you, leaving the two middle rows empty.
- Black (the darker pieces) moves first; the other side is Red. Here the first player to sit down plays Black in the first game, and colours swap after each game.
How to play
- An ordinary piece (a man) steps one square diagonally forward onto an empty square. It never moves sideways, straight ahead or backwards.
- If an opposing piece is on the square diagonally ahead and the square just beyond it is empty, jump over it and remove it from the board.
- Capturing is compulsory: if you can jump, you must. When several captures are possible, you may choose any of them — you do not have to take the most pieces.
- If the same piece can jump again from where it lands, it must keep jumping. A multiple jump cannot be stopped halfway.
- A man that reaches the far row is crowned a king. A king moves one square diagonally in any direction and jumps forwards and backwards.
- Being crowned ends the turn, even if the new king could jump again.
- You may not pass. On your turn you must move.
Winning
- Capture all of your opponent's pieces, or leave them with no legal move, and you win. Either player may give up.
- If the same position appears three times, the game is drawn.
- If 40 moves in total pass (20 each) with no capture and no man moving, the game is drawn. This 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 |
Related features: Board Game History: Games by Date / Place, Surround or Connect: Strategy Board Games Compared
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FAQ
How many players?
Two. One plays Black (plain pieces), the other Red (pieces with a light dot in the middle). Black moves first, and the marks tell the sides apart without relying on colour.
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 I play online with friends far away?
Yes. Start a party and send its invite link. Friends can join in their browsers without signing up.
Is there an app?
This is a free app that runs in your browser. No installation is needed.
Can we play without being online at the same time?
Yes. Choose “Turn-based (told each turn)” and you can make one move whenever you like. We tell you when it is your turn. A Party ends automatically, with no winner or loser, after 45 days without a move.
Rights holder and physical edition
This is a public-domain classic game. The rules follow the standard reference rules.
Related games
Same type (Board)
Same player count
Last updated 2026-09-14 · Run by Qdan, Inc.