Easy Pool checkers
Easy Pool checkers is American Pool against a shallow computer. Same 8×8 board as Pool checkers. Men may jump backward. Kings fly.
Easy changes only the opponent. Flying kings and backward jumps stay.
Pool rules on Easy
Capture every opposing piece, or block the other side so it cannot move. Same 8×8 start as American checkers, with Pool movement rules.
- Men may jump forward or backward.
- Kings fly along open diagonals and may land any empty square beyond a capture.
- A man that promotes mid-jump continues as a king if another jump is available.
Easy Pool search depth
The Easy opponent uses alpha-beta search with maximum depth about 1 and no quiescence extension into capture lines.
The evaluation understands flying kings and backward jumps; difficulty only changes how far ahead it looks.
It will miss tactics that need two or more full turns to set up.
Pool shots the Easy AI misses
Finish the jump you started
A multi-jump is one turn. Easy sometimes stops mentally where you would keep going — plan the full line, especially when a man can promote and continue as a king.
Use backward jumps
Men that capture toward their home row surprise players from American checkers. Easy undervalues how far a piece swings when it jumps backward into an open diagonal.
Pick a king landing square
Flying kings can stop on any empty square beyond the capture. Choose a landing that threatens another jump; Easy rarely sees the second hop.
Pool checkers difficulty levels compared
| Level | Best for | Search | Typical gap | Practice focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy (this page) | Learning flying kings and backward jumps | alpha-beta depth ≈ 1 (no quiescence) | Underestimates how far a king can land after a capture | Finish the whole jump line before you stop the turn |
| Medium | Comfortable Pool players | alpha-beta depth ≈ 3 (with quiescence on captures) | Misses some multi-jump promotions; shorter king endgames | Choose landing squares that keep the king jumping |
| Hard | Sharp tactical Pool games | alpha-beta depth ≈ 5 (with quiescence on captures) | Still bounded search — not professional Pool strength | Calculate backward jumps and king flights together |
Need a refresher on the basics? Read the complete Pool Checkers guide and rules on Checkerso for backward capture details, flying king landings, and promote-and-continue chains.
Frequently asked questions
Does Easy Pool checkers still use flying kings?
Yes. Easy only reduces search depth. Kings still fly and men still jump backward.
What happens if my man promotes mid-jump?
If another king jump is available, the turn continues as a king. That rule is the same on Easy, Medium, and Hard.
How is Pool checkers different from American checkers?
Pool allows backward jumps, flying kings, and promotion that continues the same turn. American checkers on Checkerso uses short kings and forward-only men.