Checkers vs draughts: the rules around the world
Is it checkers or draughts? In the United States it is checkers; in Britain and much of the Commonwealth it is draughts. For the classic 8×8 game they are the same thing. But many countries play their own version, and some of them are quite different games.
This site plays American checkers, also called English draughts. If you learned the game in the US, the UK, Ireland, Australia or many other English-speaking countries, these are the rules you know.
American checkers / English draughts
- An 8×8 board, played on the dark squares only.
- Twelve pieces each. The rule books say the dark side moves first; on this site, Red moves first.
- Men move one square diagonally forward, and capture forward only.
- A man that reaches the far row is crowned a king. Kings move and capture one square at a time, forwards or backwards.
- Capturing is compulsory, and a multiple jump must be completed. When there is more than one capture, you may choose any of them; you are not obliged to take the most pieces.
- A man crowned during a jump stops there for that turn.
New to it? Read how to play, then strategy for beginners.
The three big differences
Most other versions change some of these three rules:
- Can men capture backwards? In American checkers they cannot. In many other versions they can.
- Do kings fly? A flying king moves any number of empty squares along a diagonal, like a bishop in chess, and can capture a piece from a distance. That makes kings far more powerful.
- Must you take the most pieces? Some versions make you choose the capture that takes the largest number of pieces. In American checkers you can choose freely.
At a glance
| Version | Board | Men capture backwards | Kings |
|---|---|---|---|
| American checkers / English draughts | 8×8, 12 each | No | One square |
| International draughts | 10×10, 20 each | Yes | Flying |
| Russian draughts | 8×8, 12 each | Yes | Flying |
| Brazilian draughts | 8×8, 12 each | Yes | Flying |
| Pool checkers | 8×8, 12 each | Yes | Flying |
| Spanish draughts | 8×8, 12 each | No | Flying |
| Italian draughts | 8×8, 12 each | No | One square |
| Turkish draughts | 8×8, 16 each, all squares | No (forward and sideways) | Flying, straight lines |
| Canadian checkers | 12×12, 30 each | Yes | Flying |
International draughts
The version governed by the world draughts federation (FMJD), and the main form of the game in the Netherlands and in several African countries. It is played on a 10×10 board with 20 pieces each. Men capture backwards as well as forwards, kings fly, and you must take the largest number of pieces available. A man is crowned only if it finishes its move on the far row; passing through it during a capture does not count. White moves first.
Russian draughts
Played on the familiar 8×8 board with 12 pieces each, but with men that capture backwards and flying kings. You must capture, but you may choose which capture to make. A man that reaches the far row in the middle of a capture is crowned at once and carries on capturing as a king.
Brazilian draughts
Essentially the international rules on an 8×8 board with 12 pieces each: men capture backwards, kings fly, and you must take the most pieces.
Pool checkers
A version played in the United States on the 8×8 board. Men can capture backwards and kings fly, which makes it a very different game from the American checkers most people know, despite the shared board.
Spanish draughts
An 8×8 game with flying kings, but men capture forwards only, as in American checkers. Players must make the capture that takes the most pieces.
Italian draughts
Also 8×8 with 12 pieces each, and kings move only one square, like ours. Its best-known difference is that a man may not capture a king. Captures are compulsory, with a set of priority rules that, among other things, require taking the most pieces.
Turkish draughts
The odd one out. It uses all 64 squares, and the pieces move straight, not diagonally. Each side has 16 men, starting on its second and third rows. Men move one square forward or sideways, never backwards, and capture the same way. Kings fly along ranks and files. Players must capture the most pieces available.
Canadian checkers
The international rules on an even bigger board: 12×12, with 30 pieces each.
Which one should you play?
Whichever one you grew up with. If that is the 8×8 game where men only capture forwards and kings move one square at a time, you’ll feel right at home here, with nothing to install.