Medium Pool checkers
Medium Pool checkers is the default opponent for American Pool. Same rules as Pool checkers: forced jumps, flying kings, a man that promotes may keep jumping as a king.
Easy searches less. Hard searches more.
Pool rules at Medium
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.
Medium Pool search depth
The Medium opponent searches with alpha-beta depth about 3 and extends into capture sequences (quiescence).
The evaluation understands flying kings and backward jumps; difficulty only changes how far ahead it looks.
It catches straightforward threats but not every long combination.
Flying kings at Medium
Promotion chains
Set up a man that crowns and immediately jumps as a king. Medium reads shorter than Hard — but it still punishes you if you stop one hop early.
Control long diagonals
A flying king owns the whole open line. Occupy or block the diagonal before Medium’s king lands behind your men.
Trade flying kings carefully
Exchanging kings when you lead simplifies the win. When behind, keep kings active on different diagonals so Medium cannot pin one piece.
Pool checkers difficulty levels compared
| Level | Best for | Search | Typical gap | Practice focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 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 (this page) | 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
How deep does Medium Pool checkers search?
Alpha-beta depth about 3 with quiescence on captures — the same engine settings as Medium American checkers, with Pool rules.
Must I take the capture that wins the most pieces?
No. You may choose any legal jump sequence in Pool checkers on Checkerso.
When should I try Hard Pool checkers?
When you rarely leave a king jump unfinished and you want the computer to look about five plies ahead.