American checkers, also called English draughts or straight checkers, is one of the variants of the well known strategy board game Draughts. This game can be played with 12 pieces for each player on a board of 8×8 squares. The pieces color is black, red, or white.
Like any type of Checkers, English draughts is a multiplayer game. It is played by two opponents, each one on a side of the board, and they alternate the turns on opposite.
The pieces move and capture diagonally forward only. Opponent’s pieces are captured by jumping over them. If a piece reaches the opposite end line of the checkers-board, it will be crowned and becomes more powerful. If this is the case, it can move and capture both forward and backward.
English draughts Pieces
Traditionally made of wood, plastic and other materials, checkers pieces are most of the time flat and cylindrical. 12 of them are made with a darker color and the other 12 is lighter, commonly referred to as Black and White. The most used colors in tournaments are red and white. In the United States black pieces are common.
On a checkers board, there are 2 types of pieces: Men and Kings.
- Mans: are simple pieces with basic abilities (moves diagonally forward only).
- Kings: are 2 men pieces of the same color (same player), one on top of the other. They generally referred to as crowned or kinged. (moves diagonally forward and backward)
English draughts Rules
Each player starts with 12 men on the dark squares of the three rows closest to that player’s side (see diagram). The row closest to each player is called the kings row or crownhead. The player with the darker-coloured pieces moves first. Then turns alternate.
How to move your pieces
In English draughts you can move your pieces in 2 ways:
- Simple move: if the diagonally adjacent dark square is empty, you can occupy it (remember, only one square at a time).
- Jump: if there is an unoccupied diagonally dark square adjacent an opponent’s piece, then you can jump over your enemy’s piece in the same direction and occupy this empty square. after that, you have to remove the enemy’s captured piece from the checkers board.
One thing to have in mind: any piece can capture a king (men or king), it doesn’t matter.
Multiple jumps
In English draughts you can do multiple jumps. If after you captured your enemy’s piece, another piece is immediately allowed to be jumped and captured, you can do multiple jumps even if the second one is in a different direction (always diagonally).
If you are in a position where you have two multi-jump options, can choose which piece to capture with, and which sequence of jumps to choose. But when you make your choice, you have to complete all available jumps in the sequence you have chosen.
Jumping is always mandatory
If you are in a situation where you have an eligible opponent’s piece to capture, you must do it, even if it is unfavorable for you and may results in disadvantage for your strategy.
Kings moves
If a simple piece reaches the end line of the opponent’s side of the checkers board, it is immediately crowned as a king and gains the power to move both backward and forward. But, it can’t do so until another move.
End of game
The game ends when a player wins captures all of his enemy’s pieces or by blocking the opponent with no ability to move. The game also ends if no one can force a win, or by agreement.