BASIC RULES OF TOURNAMENT CHECKERS:

1. Players flip a coin to see who goes first. Black always leads the moves and is considered a handicap position.
2. Place all 24 checkers on the black squares of the board, avoiding the two horizontal strips of black squares on “No-Man’s-Land” in the center of the board.
3. Pieces can make diagonal moves only, one square at a time except during jumps.
4. Each player moves one piece in turn.
5. Initial moves are only forward unless the piece has been crowned king by reaching the opponent’s back line.
6. If a piece can be taken, it must be taken. Forced moves cause forced captures.
7. Pieces are taken by jumping over them, from empty square to empty square. Pieces cannot land on top of other pieces.
8. You can only jump a piece if your piece is directly next to the opponent’s piece.
9. You must land on an empty square when jumping.
10. Multiple jumps may be made if conditions are right.
11. “King Me” is spoken aloud when reaching opponent’s back line, after which that piece can move either forward or backward on the board, but always diagonally.
12. The game is over when all the pieces of one player are gone. A play can end in a draw.

Those are the very basic rules of checkers. Watching a few games on youtube will give you the confidence you need to try playing a game with a friend. Continue reading →