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Checker Fundamentals

~ Checkers Tournament Rules ~

~ Tournament Matches ~

~ The Official Checkerboard ~

• Before the game is begun, the board is situated for playing so that the green double corners are on the right hand side of the players.

~ The Official Checkers ~

• The official Checkers used in matches must be ‘turned’ not moulded so that the checkers are smooth and do not have a ridge or any design on the top.


• The checkers must be round and coloured red and white.


• The checkers must not be less than 1 ¼ inches nor more than 1 ½ inches in diameter.


• Checkers opponents place their checker ‘men’ on the green squares of the board.

~ Commencing the Checkers Match ~

• The checker colour is not assigned by an official, but chosen by the players at the beginning of the tournament.


• Tournament Checkers players toss for the colour of the checker pieces.


• The opponent with the red checkers makes the first move and then the players alternate in leading off with red in each opening balloted thereafter.

~ Time Limits ~

• In tournament Checkers games, the American Checker Federation stipulates that each player must make 30 moves per hour or set a time limit of two minutes per move.


• When each set of 30 moves is completed, the player who has completed the 30 moves adds one hour to his/her clock.


• If an opponent fails to makes the allotted 30 moves before the respective time expires, the player forfeits the game and the opponent is declared the winner by default.


• When there are two or more ways to jump, a time limit of five minutes to make the move shall be allowed.


• Where only one possible jump is available, the opponent has only one minute to complete the move.


• When “Time” is called by the referee to signify that a move must be made within the allotted time, the player must move within a minute of the call or forfeit the game due to a judgement of improper delay.

~ Tournament Moves ~

• As in regulation play, a checker can only move forward diagonally, one space at a time, to an empty adjacent dark square in the next row.


• However, if there is already an opponent’s checker or King on an adjacent square in line with this play, the checker piece must be jumped.


• Checkers and Kings must not jump over their own pieces.


• When there are two or more potential moves, the player may choose whichever play is the most strategically beneficial to his/her play, regardless of the number and type of checkers that can be captured.


• A checker piece is ‘Kinged’ when, through a move or completion of a jump, it reaches the ‘crownhead’ or last row of the board; this action completes the move.


• The opponent must then ‘crown’ the checker by placing a piece on top of it.


• If the opponent fails to complete this play, then such play must be put back until the checker that should have been crowned is indeed crowned.


• The player’s time does not commence until the intended crowned piece is crowned.


• A King can move in any direction within the limits of the checkerboard and can jump one or more men in any diagonal direction on the board.


• When no checker is available for crowning, the referee must provide one for the play.

~ Touching Within the Match ~

• Each player is entitled at the beginning of the game to arrange his own or the opponent’s pieces properly on the checkerboard.


• One the first move has been made, if either opponent arranges or touches any checker piece without stating his intent to do so, he/she will be cautioned by the referee for the first offense, but will forfeit the game for any subsequent offense of this nature.


• In the event that the player whose turn it is to move touches one of the playable checkers, he/she must either play this piece or forfeit the game.


• If any part of a playable piece is played over an angle of the square on which it is situated, the move must be made in that direction.


• All jumps must be taken by each player throughout the match games.


• Inadvertently touching, disturbing or removing a checker that is not playable from it’s position on the board while making a jump or intended move, does not constitute a move; thus, the checker or checkers will be placed in the original position and the game continued. No penalty will be issued.


• When an opponent’s hand is withdrawn from the board, the move is ended.

~ Conduct of Tournament Players/Spectators ~

• Once the first move has been made or after the opening has been balloted, neither opponent is allowed to leave the checker table without permission of the referee and the opponent. Once permission is granted, the player may leave the board accompanied by the opponent, the referee, or another person designated by the referee.


• This is necessary to prevent any player from referencing game books and plays during the course of the game.


• Any action that might annoy or distract the attention of the other player is strictly forbidden.


• This includes making unnecessary signs or noises, pointing or hovering over the checkerboard with either hands or head, or deliberately delaying to move a touched piece.


• Should any such action take place, the offender will be warned of the consequences and in the event that the player continues, even in jest, he/she will suffer a forfeit of the game.


• Smoking will be allowed during the game, but care must be taken so that smoke is not blown across the checkerboard to annoy the opponent.


• If a player is bothered by the smoke, he/she may object to the opponent smoking and neither player will be allowed to smoke.


• Some sources say that there are non-smoking tournaments or non-smoking sessions, available now.


• Spectators are also forbidden to distract the tournament players in any way, whether by talking, humming, whistling, smoking, hovering over the board or a player’s shoulder and making signs or sounds.


• Any spectator disobeying these rules will be asked to leave the room during the match and play will be discontinued until the offending party has vacated the room.

More From the Checkers Chest

Checker Fundamentals 2
Basic Rules/Standard Laws of Checkers

Checker Fundamentals 3
Checkers Notation/Annotation:

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