|
Checkers
Main Page
Checkers Stategy
Checkers of
Past Eras
Checkers Champions
of the 20th Century
Checkers Champions
of The 21st Century
The Future of Checkers
Checkers Around
The World
Checkers Variations
Fundamentals of Checkers
Checkers Photo Album
Checkers Art
The Sport of Checkers
Checker Postcards
Checkered Past
Afternoon Checkers
Checkers
Glossary
Checkers Terms
Literature on Checkers
Checkers Poems
Checkers Strategy
Checkers Words of Wisdom
Wiswell's Checkers Proverbs
Checkers Philosophy
Angels
Pottery
|
Play Checkers Online
Checker Fundamentals
Basic Rules/Standard Laws of Checkers
~ The Game ~
Checkers is a board game, which is played between two opposing players, who take alternate turns moving their checker pieces on the checker board.
~ Game Objective ~
- This is, of course, to win the game; however, in order to do so, it is necessary to prevent the opponent from making a move, when it is his/her turn.
- The player who can’t make a move, either because all his/her pieces have been captured or because all of his/her checkers are blocked, loose the game.
- If neither checker player can accomplish this, then the game is a draw.
- Checker players can also resign from the game and give the opponent the victory by default.
~ Checkerboard ~
- A standard checkerboard is a square board that consists of 64 alternating light and dark smaller squares arranged in an 8x8 grid of eight rows and eight columns.
- The squares are technically called ‘black’ and ‘white’, though game sets may offer a board in different contrasting colours.
- The official board colours in a checker tournament are buff and green, where buff is ‘white’ and green is ‘black’.
Before commencing the initial play, the checkerboard is placed squarely between the two players with a dark square (green or black) situated on each player’s far left hand side and a light square (buff or white) on his far right hand side with the double corner in the near right corner.
~ Checker Pieces ~
- The playing pieces are called ‘checkers’ or ‘men’ that are coloured Red and White, but most often are called Black and White in publications.
- Checkers are fashioned in a cylindrical shape, which is wider than it is high and may be made of wood or plastic.
 
Store bought sets may have checkers of various colours and where the colours are Black and Red, the checker pieces are still called Black (or Red) and White.
- Official Tournament checkers, which are 1 ¼ to 1 ½ inches in diameter, are smooth and have no concentric designs or crown patterns on the top.
It is important that the Checkerboard and the Checkers be in contrasting colours in order to avoid problematic combinations such as a Black checker on a Black square.
~ Starting Position ~
Each Checkers player uses twelve playing pieces or men that are all the same size.
- These are placed on the 12 dark squares closest to the player.
- One player has dark (Black or Red) Checkers and the other player plays with the light or White Checkers.
- Red (Black) uses squares numbered 1 through 12, while White uses squares numbered 21 through 32.
- Note that in the diagrams of various Checkers publications, the plays are shown on the White squares for readability, but this notation is not employed in a real game.
- The toss of a coin may determine which player uses White checkers and which uses Red (Black) checkers, or a random choice of colour may be made.
- After the first game, the Checkers players will alternate colours with each subsequent game.
- The player with the Red (Black) Checkers begins the game with the first move.
- After the first play, the opponents take turns making one move at a time.
~ The Moves ~
Single Checkers move forward only one square or space at a time in a diagonal direction to an empty square.
- A King has two choices: to move one square diagonally, either forward or backward.
- A move can also consist of one or more jumps to capture the opponent’s Checker or Checkers.
The player captures the opponent’s Checker (Man or King) by jumping over it into an adjacent and vacant square beyond it.
- Several jumps can be made in one move providing the squares adjacent to the Checker or Checkers being jumped are unoccupied.
- A player may not jump over his/her own Checkers.
- In a multiple jump, the jumping Checker or King can change directions, jumping first in one direction and then in another as long as the Checkers being jumped are situated in the diagonal path.
The same Checker cannot be jumped twice in the same move.
- If a player can capture an opposing Checker, then the jump must be taken.
- Likewise, a player must also complete a multiple jump if he/she chooses a sequence of captures; the player may not leave one or more Checkers uncaptured if they could be taken by continuing the jump.
- If there is a choice of jumps, then the Checker opponent can choose among them, regardless if the jump is multiple or not.
- When a capture of the opponent’s Checker or Checkers is made, the piece or pieces are removed from the board.
- If a player removes one of his/her own Checkers, it cannot be replaced; however, the opponent can either play or insist it be replaced.
- A Checker, whether it is a Man or King, can jump a King.
- A ‘huff’ of a Checker for failure to jump properly is no longer permitted.
- When an incorrect move is made, it must be retracted and replaced with a correct move.
- If at all possible, the correct move must be made with the Checker or King originally moved incorrectly in the first place.
- When a Checker reaches the last row or King Row of the opponent, it then becomes a King. The opponent places a second Checker upon the first to signify the King.
- Once a Checker has been Kinged, it cannot continue jumping Men until the next move.
~ Touching Pieces ~
Before the Checkers players begin the game with the first move, either opponent can adjust the position of any Checker on the board.
- After the first move has been made, neither player can adjust any Checker without indicating his/her intention to do so.
- The player who adjusts a Checker without informing the opponent of his/her intention can be warned for the first offence, but will forfeit the game on the second offence.
- If a player touches a Checker that can be played during his/her move, then that Checker must be moved or the player forfeits the game.
- If any part of a playable Checker is moved or adjusted over the corner of its square, then the Checker must be played in that direction.
- Once the Checker player’s hand is withdrawn from the board, the play is ended.
~ Improper or Illegal Moves ~
A move will be recalled and the player cautioned if he/she makes an illegal, false or improper move in accordance with Checkers Standard Laws:
- Fails to jump or complete a multiple jump.
- During his/her move, touches a piece that is not movable.
- During a regular move or a jump sequence, moves the Checker onto the wrong square.
- Completes a move backwards.
- In a capturing move, removes an opponent’s Checker or Men that have not been jumped.
- During a jump, removes one or more of his/her own Checkers.
- Continues a capturing move through the King-Row with a Checker.
- Moves a Checker though it is not the player’s turn.
- Checkers that are accidentally displaced by the players, or through causes beyond their control are replaced without any penalty and the game is resumed.
- Should a player make a second false, improper or illegal move during the same game, he/she shall forfeit the game.
- Any player who refuses to follow the Checkers rules shall immediately forfeit the game.
~ Game Win ~
- A win is achieved when a Checkers player makes the last move by either capturing all of the opposing player’s Checkers or by blocking the opposing player so that he/she is unable to make any legal moves during his/her turn.
- A win is also achieved if an opponent resigns anywhere throughout the Checkers game or forfeits the game by violating any of the Checkers rules.
~ Game Draw ~
- A draw is declared if both Checkers opponents mutually agree at any point during the play to such a conclusion of the game.
- A draw is declared if a Checkers player can show that his next move would also create the same position for the fourth time during the game.
- A draw is declared if a Checkers player can show that the following holds true:
- Neither Checkers player has moved a Checker forward towards the King-Row during the preceding 50 moves.
- No Checkers have been removed from the checkerboard within the 50 preceding moves.
- (For the purposes of this rule, a move consists of one Red (Black) and one White move).
|
|
CHECKERS CHEST
Two Player