Checkers
Checkers is a free game on an 8x8 board where you play the computer or a friend. It starts right in your browser, no install.
How to play checkers
- Board and pieces — An 8x8 board, the same as a chessboard. Pieces only sit on the dark (green) squares. Red and black each start with 12 round pieces filling the dark squares of their three nearest rows. You are red at the bottom; the opponent is black at the top.
- Turns — Red moves first, and you move one piece per turn.
- Moving — A piece moves one square diagonally forward, toward the opponent. It cannot move sideways or backward, or onto an occupied square.
- Capturing — If an enemy piece is diagonally in front of you and the square behind it is empty, jump over it into that square. The jumped piece is removed.
- Forced jumps — If any jump is available, you must take one. When there are several, you choose which. Opponents use this to give up one piece and take back two or three.
- Multi-jumps — If you land where another jump is possible, keep jumping in the same turn.
- Kings — A piece that reaches the far row becomes a king (two stacked pieces with a gold crown). Kings move and capture one square in all four diagonal directions. If a piece is crowned in the middle of a jump, its turn ends there.
- Winning — Take all enemy pieces, or block them so they have no move. If 40 moves each pass with no capture and no ordinary piece moving forward, or the same position appears three times, the game is a draw.
You start against an 18K opponent. Win and press NEXT to go up one rank; lose and you replay the same rank. The higher you climb, the further ahead it reads, and at the top it will give up one piece to take back several. Your rank is saved in the browser.
Take two at once for NICE, three or more for GREAT, and crown a piece for KING. Tap 2 PLAYERS on the title screen to take turns on one phone or PC.
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- Type
- Board game · Checkers · Indie game
- Built in
- 1 day
- Made with
- Canvas 2D · alpha-beta search AI
- Players
- 1 (vs computer) · 2 (one screen)
- Status
- Complete · 27 ranks · 2-player mode
- Released
- 2026-09-24
- Last updated
- 2026-09-24
Good for — anyone who wants a quick board game with only two rules to learn, or a match with a friend on one phone.
Frequently asked questions
What are the rules of checkers?
Red and black play with 12 pieces each on the dark squares of an 8x8 board. Red moves first, and pieces move one square diagonally forward. Jump an enemy piece diagonally in front of you into the empty square behind it to capture it. Reach the far row and the piece becomes a king that can also move backward. Take every enemy piece or leave your opponent with no move to win.
Do I have to jump when I can?
Yes. If any jump is available you must take one; tap a different piece and "JUMP" appears while the pieces that can jump bounce. If there are several jumps you choose which. When the opponent offers a piece on purpose, it may be a trap.
Can I capture more than one piece at once?
Yes. If you land where another jump is possible you keep jumping until none are left. Two at once shows NICE, three or more shows GREAT.
What is a king?
A piece that reaches the far row becomes a king: two stacked pieces with a gold crown. It moves and captures one square in all four diagonal directions, but does not fly across the board. If a piece is crowned in the middle of a jump, its turn ends there.
Can a game end in a draw?
Yes. If 40 moves each pass with no capture and no ordinary piece moving forward, or the same position appears three times, it is a draw. This usually happens when kings chase each other with no way to finish.
How do I play?
Tap the piece you want to move, then tap where it goes. You can also drag it. When a multi-jump can go two ways, tap each landing square in turn.
How strong is the computer? Can a beginner win?
There are 27 ranks, from 18K through 1K up to 9D. The 18K opponent sometimes misses a recapture, so knowing the rules is enough to beat it. Each rank reads further ahead, and 9D looks about ten moves deep. These ranks only measure the in-game opponent and are not official ratings.
Can two people play? Is there online play?
Yes, two people can play. Tap 2 PLAYERS on the title screen and take turns on one phone or PC. There is no online play between different devices.
Is it free? Do I need to download anything?
It is completely free with no payments. Press Play on this page and it starts in your browser, with no app and no sign-up. Your rank is saved in that browser.
Who made it?
Oreum Games, a very small indie game studio in Korea.
