Play checkers online for free

Play checkers online for free against the computer or a friend, right in your browser. No account, no download. This checkers game is American checkers — English draughts — on an 8×8 board with twelve men a side and forced jumps.

You play black and move first; the computer plays white. Switch sides in Settings. Easy, Medium, and Hard only change how deep the computer searches.

Play follows the familiar English draughts / American checkers rules used in ordinary club and tournament games. Checkerso does not claim certification by any federation.

• 1 · Move

  Tap a piece, then a marked square. Men step one square diagonally forward.

• 2 · Capture

  Jump an enemy piece to the empty square beyond. Captures are mandatory.

• 3 · King

  Reach the far row to crown a king. Kings move and jump both ways.

How to play checkers: rules for beginners

Win by capturing every enemy piece or by blocking the opponent so they have no legal move.

• Set-up: each side starts with twelve men on the dark squares of the three rows nearest them. Black moves first, then you alternate.
• Men move one square diagonally forward. They do not move or jump backward.
• Capture by jumping an adjacent enemy piece, man or king, to the empty square beyond. Multi-jumps are one turn.
• When several jump lines are legal, you may choose any of them.
• A man that reaches the far row becomes a king. A king moves one square diagonally, forward or back, and can jump in either direction. It does not fly.
• If a man crowns during a jump, the turn ends at once. A newly crowned king cannot continue jumping on that same move.
• During a multi-jump, a king may change direction between hops — forward and backward along open diagonals — until no further capture remains.
• Draws: each player makes 40 moves without a capture or a man move, or the same position, with the same side to move, appears three times.

Jumps are mandatory. If you can capture, you must take a jump.

New to the game? Read the full guide to how to play checkers.

Using the board

• Tap a piece, then tap a highlighted square — no dragging required.
• Dots show the legal landing squares; jump targets highlight when a capture is available.
• Undo and Hint sit under the board; pick Easy, Medium, or Hard anytime.

Play checkers with a friend (2 players)

• Play a Friend: choose New game, then Play a Friend. Send the link you get. Your friend opens it and you play live, with no account for either of you.
• 2 Player (Same Device): choose New game, then 2 Player (Same Device) to take turns on one phone or laptop.

More on this: 2 player checkers online.

Your first tactic: give one man, take two

Because a jump is mandatory, you choose what your opponent captures. Offer a man so that their only legal capture lands in front of one of yours with an empty square behind it, and you jump both.

• 1 · Offer

  Step a man between theirs. Your man behind it blocks one of the two captures.

• 2 · Forced

  Captures are mandatory, so their man has to take it and lands right in front of yours.

• 3 · Jump two

  Jump the man that landed, then the next one. You gave one man and took two.

Before each move, ask where their capture would land if you offered this man, and whether you could jump from there. The other plans, such as holding the center and keeping a man on your back row, are in the checkers strategy guide for beginners.

Also on Checkerso

• Daily checkers puzzleone shared opening per calendar day (your local time)
• Anti checkersgiveaway rules on the same board
• Pool checkersbackward jumps and flying kings
• International draughts10×10 board with flying kings and longest capture
• Chinese checkers121-hole star board with chain jumps and no captures

Checkers variants rules comparison

Frequently asked questions