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Checkers Around the World Invented Checkers Variants
Tiers Checkers Game
The original game of Checkers has seen many
transformations from varying board sizes to
unique plays to adaptive rules from other games.
In the game of Tiers checkers another variant
emerges. This version is also called Ultra Checkers
and involves a more complex way of playing in
that it allows the players to upgrade their
playing pieces beyond the position of King.
New challenges are brought forth and the game
thereby taking on a different dimension. Tiers
checkers has become quite popular amongst many
collegiate students in the northeast U.S.
Tiers Checkers Rules of Play:
~ Checkers Game Board ~
- Tiers checkers is played by two
opponents on a standard 8 x 8 checkerboard
consisting 64 alternating light and dark
squares.
- Each player uses twelve checkers of
contrasting light and dark colors, usually
referred to as Red or White (light) or
Black (dark).
- The board is positioned between the
two opponents so that there is a dark double
corner to the right of each player and
a single dark corner to the left.
~ Object of Tiers Checkers Game ~
- The game objective of this complex form
of Checkers is to maximize on the number
of upgrades and to prevent the opponent
from making any other moves by capturing
as many of the opponent’s pieces
as possible by or by blocking in the opponent’s
remaining checkers men.
~ Game Starting Position ~
- Before the Tiers Checkers game commences,
the checker colors are chosen by friendly
agreement by a game of chance or random
selection or by a neutral third person.
- Each player begins with twelve checkers
that he/she may arrange in any configuration
of his/her choice, but it must be confined
to the back three rows on his/her side
of the board.
- Both opponents agree to these formations
before the checker game starts.
- Player with the light checkers moves
first and then they alternate moving one
space at a time with each successive turn.
~ Game Moves & Captures ~
- A single checker piece is moved forward
straight ahead, diagonally forward right
or diagonally forward left to a vacant
square adjacent to the original position.
- Maximum capture is mandatory by jumping
and this involves moving two spaces in the
same direction, then jumping over the opponent’s
checker(s) and landing on the adjacent unoccupied
square.
- A tier checker can capture multiple opposing
pieces in a single turn through a sequence
of jumps as long as there are empty squares
immediately beyond the opponent’s
checker(s).
- If there are several choices available
in a capture, then the player may choose
the checker that makes the move.
- A single tiers checker can only capture
by jumping in the three forward directions.
~ Promotion to Tier King ~
- When a single checker reaches the opponent’s
last row (the crown head or King’s
row), it is crowned and promoted to King.
- A piece is only ‘Kinged’ when
the move ends on the king’s row,
whether through a single move or a sequence
of jumps.
- The opponent must place another checker
on top of the original to signify the new
position and when this is complete, he/she
may then move his/her own checker.
- Tiers Kings may move and capture in any
direction.
~ Unique Upgrades (Tiers) for the King ~
- Each checker may be upgraded beyond
the first tier of King by returning to
the original player’s first row.
- Moving back and forth across the checkerboard
upgrades each piece tier by tier until it
reaches the fifth tier; each tier provides
the upgraded checker with new abilities.
- Triple Kings ~ “trip
kings” is the first upgrade
to the King and is represented by a stack
of three checkers of the original color.
Tiers and More Tiers
- This tier is achieved by returning
a king to the owning player’s closest
row.
- Triple kings can
jump over two consecutive opposing checkers
and have the ability to make standard
jumps over friendly pieces (checkers
of their own color).
- The process of jumping over a friendly
piece is never mandatory, does not sacrifice
the jumped checker and does not have
any priority over other jumps.
- Triple kings cannot jump over both an opponent’s
checker and a friendly piece in one jump.
- Movement along the game board is identical
to that of Kings.
- Quad kings ~ is the upgrade of triple
kings.
- They have the most complex jumping
rules and are represented by four pieces
stacked on top of each other.
- They do not possess the ability to
jump over their own pieces as triple
kings do, but do retain the ability
to jump over two consecutive pieces
in one jump.
- Quad kings have the unique ability
to skip an empty space before they jump
a single piece or begin a jumping sequence.
- This process has the same priority
as regular jumps.
- Quad kings can also make normal jumps
and sequences, and move the same as normal
Kings.
- Ultra-kings ~ are the final piece upgrade
to be attained by reaching the ends of
the board and are signified by placing
an opposing player’s piece between
two of one’s own checkers.
- Ultra-kings can move or ‘teleport’ to
any unoccupied square and can also capture
in a way completely unique to standard
checkers games.
- Ultra-kings “consume” an
opponent’s
checker by moving into the occupied
square of that piece.
- With this upgrade, this procedure
is compulsory.
- Ultra-kings also possess the ability
to ‘teleport’ any
of its own checkers by moving the ultra-king
adjacent to the piece during one turn,
placing that checker on top of the ultra-king
in another turn (leaving the ultra-king
without the ability to attack or move),
and then moving the friendly checker
to any unoccupied square on the board.
- If a piece is teleported onto the
side needed to make an upgrade, the upgrade
occurs.
- Once teleported, the checker may not
take any further actions for that turn.
- If an ultra-king is placed upon another
ultra-king, then the resulting piece achieves
the ability to make two complete moves in a
single turn; for example, a
“double ultra-king
” may capture any piece on the board
by moving next to it and then consume it during
the player’s turn.
~ Tiers Checkers Strategy ~
- The game of Tiers maintains a set of
complex rules that allow each player to
utilize several successful strategies.
- To upgrade a single checker quickly before
the opposing player has a chance to do so
is a common and generally successful strategy
because it allows for a greater number of
capturing opportunities.
- Another tactic that works well is to
trap a stronger piece by forcing it to
jump into a place where it can then be
captured.
- The ability to create unique formations
for each player before the game begins
is also considered very important to the
overall outcome of the checkers game since
it allows each player the option of setting
plans into effect from the beginning.
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