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International Checkers/Draughts

Over the years, the popularity of Checkers Draughts has spread worldwide. This can readily be seen in the number of places that International Draughts/Checkers is both played with a serious determination and a heart for total, unabashed enjoyment. This version is mostly played in Europe and Africa, although there are also good players in other countries as well. International Draughts/Checkers is one of the many variants of the original strategic game of Checkers that exists today.

Rules of Play:

~The Game Board ~

• This checkers game is played on a 10 x 10 checkerboard with 100 alternating light and dark squares, of which only the fifty dark squares are used for the play.
• Before play is begun, the board is placed squarely between the two players so that there is a double corner on the right of each opponent and a single corner on the left.

~ Object of the Game ~

• Using strategy, experience and determination, each checkers player tries to outplay the opponent by either capturing all the checkers or by blocking any moves the other player may try to make.

~ Starting Position ~

• Each checkers player has 20 checker pieces of contrasting colours, which are placed on the first four rows closest to each opponent so that the two middle rows are empty.

~ Game Moves & Captures ~

• The player with the light checkers makes the first move and then the two opponents alternate turns with each play thereafter.
• Each player is only allowed one move at a time.
• The checkers may only be moved forward diagonally, one square at a time, to an empty square adjacent to the original position.
• The forward move may be to the left or right to the unoccupied square.
• Captures are compulsory moves.
• In order to capture the opponent’s checkers, a player may use his/her checker to jump forward or backward.
• The capturing jump continues as long as there are empty spaces before or behind opposing checkers.
• Multiple jumps must be made over these opposing pieces in a single turn either forward or backward, making 90 degree angles.
• Jumps must be made to capture as many checkers as possible, whether this move is to the advantage or disadvantage of the player making the captures.
• Captured pieces are not removed from the board during the jump but after the move is complete.
• Checkers may not jump over men of the same color.

~ Crowning to become King ~

• When a player moves a checker to the opponent’s ‘king row’ or far row, the checker is crowned ‘king’ by placement of another checker of the same colour on top.
• If a checker reaches the king row by means of a jump and can continue the jump backward to capture an additional man or men, then the checker must continue the jump and is not crowned as king.
• The checker becomes king only if the jump or series of jumps terminate at the last row of the opponent.
• Once the checker is crowned by the opponent, this player commences his/her turn.
• The opponent is not allowed to make a move until the king has been crowned.

~ King Moves & Captures ~

• Kings can move both forward and backward on any number of squares in a diagonal with an empty square.
• Capture may be made from any distance along the diagonal by jumping either forward or backward over an opposing checker piece or king as long as there is at least one unoccupied square between each checker.
• The capturing jump continues along the diagonal or by making a right angle turn to another diagonal as long as there are opposing checkers on the path.
• All capturing moves are compulsory.
• In a move with more than one way to capture the opposition, the player must choose the sequence of capturing jumps that amasses the most checkers, whether single checkers or kings.
• A king may not jump over his own checkers.
• If an improper jump or move is made, this must be retracted and a correct move must then be made instead.
• If at all possible, this correction should be made with the original checker that was moved incorrectly.
• No checker may jump over the same opposing piece more than once.
• All jumps in a given move must be complete and the player’s hand must be away from the board before the captured checkers are removed from the play.

~ Time Limits ~

• A fixed amount of time is given for a certain number of moves for each player, regardless of how much time is actually used in each move.
• When both opposing players have made the given number of moves but neither player has used the allotted time issued, then an additional allotment of time and moves will be given to each opponent.
• Unused time is retained when each new allotment is awarded.
• This procedure continues until the end of the game and the decision of a winner or a draw.

~ Win or Draw ~

• A checkers player wins the game when he/she has successfully captured all the opponent’s checker pieces, or has blocked the opposing player so that no further legal move can be made by this player.
• The checkers game is a draw if neither opponent has the possibility of winning the game.
• The game is a draw if both players agree to this decision.
• The checkers game is a draw if the same position is repeated for the third time with the same opponent making the move; this need not be as a result of a consecutive situation.
• A one king against one king or a two king against one king endgame is declared a draw automatically.
• A checkers player loses the game if the time expires before the required number of moves are made.

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