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Checker Fundamentals

Checkers Notation/Annotation:

Before commencing a Checkers game, it is important to understand the numbered checker board and the checker move notation.

Checkers is played on the dark squares of an 8x8 checker board, where only 32 squares of the 64-square board are used. The board is positioned for play with dark squares in the upper left and lower right corners. Traditional Checkers Notation numbers the squares 1 to 32 and only these squares may be occupied by checker pieces (see Diagram 1). With Black at the top and White at the bottom, the board is numbered in rows from left to right and top to bottom. These numbers are used to indicate the player’s move. A move is annotated by indicating the source “from” and destination “to” squares of the checker moved, separated by a hyphen. For example, if Black makes a starting move 11-15, then this indicates that Black moves the checker on square 11 to square 15. A semi-colon is given after each white move.

Captures are shown in the same fashion by a hyphen or an ‘x’, so if Black jumps 15-22 or 15 x 22, then Black jumps the checker on 15 over to square 22 and captures the White checker that would be positioned on 18.

Multiple jumps require greater attention as the notation is to show the start and end squares only. The squares between the jump are not shown so that the notation of 1-3 would mean that a King double jumps from 1 to 10 to 3. However, the intermediate square 10 would only be shown should there be two ways to jump and this would not be clear otherwise.

Diagram 2 indicates the starting position of the checker pieces. Each player uses 12 playing pieces, checkers or men. The dark checkers are placed on squares 1 to 12, whereas the light checkers occupy squares 21 to 32.Understanding the layout of the board will help your checkers game.
a)The two single corner squares, square 29 to square 4, create a long diagonal known as the ‘single-corner diagonal’ and this has been dubbed the ‘D(defensive)-line’ by Derek Oldbury.
b)‘Black’s double-corner’ is listed as squares 1, 5, 6, and 9, whereas ‘White’s double-corner’ is listed as squares 24, 27, 28, and 32.
c)Dark squares 4, 8, 11, and 12 are called ‘Black’s single-corner’, whereas light squares 21, 22, 25, and 29 are called ‘White’s single-corner’.
d)‘Double-corner diagonals’ refer to the two diagonals stretching from square 1 to square 28 and from square 32 to square 5; squares 28 and 32 are one double-corner and squares 1 and 5 are the other double-corner; Derek Oldbury dubbed these diagonals the ‘A(attacking)-lines’.
e)The two diagonals that stretch from square 30 to square 12 and from square 3 to square 21 are known as ‘E(equality)-lines’ as dubbed by Derek Oldbury once again.

Even though a checkers game is played on the dark squares, checkers are often placed on the light squares in many checkers diagrams to enhance readability only. Also, the official colors for the checker pieces are red and white, though older sets may contain black and red game pieces. In this instance, the black checkers are called ‘red’ and the red pieces are called ‘white’. That’s just the way of Checkers. Some abbreviations are as follows: RW = Red wins, WW = White wins, * = the only move to win or draw, PP = published play. The following annotation symbols are used to describe checkers plays:

… White move follows indicates an excellent and potential winning move indicates a poor move or one that potentially could cause a loss !

? indicates an interesting move

?! indicates a questionable move In published works on Checkers, these symbols will be used when explaining or listing various game plays. It is important to understand their meaning when first learning the game.

More From the Checkers Chest

Checker Fundamentals 2
Basic Rules/Standard Laws of Checkers

Checker Fundamentals 3
Checkers Notation/Annotation:

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