Do I have to capture in checkers?

In the standard American rules used here, yes — if a jump exists you must take one, and multi-jumps must be completed. It's the rule that gives checkers its tactics.

Is a stalemate a draw in checkers?

No — if you have no legal move, you lose. Draws happen instead by attrition: 40 moves without a capture or crowning ends the game as a draw.

A piece reaching the far row is crowned a king and can move and capture one square diagonally in all four directions. In American checkers kings do not fly across the board.

Is this checkers game free?

Yes — free in your browser against the computer, with no download, account or ads between moves.

Play Checkers Online — Free vs the Computer

Checkers — American draughts — on the classic 8×8 board, against a computer opponent that searches ahead and punishes mistakes. Standard rules with mandatory captures, multi-jumps and kings. Play free above, no download needed.

How to play Checkers

You play cream, moving up the board; the computer plays red, moving down. A fair coin flip decides who moves first.
Pieces move one square diagonally, always toward the far side, onto empty dark squares.
Jump over an adjacent enemy piece into the empty square beyond to capture it. Captures are mandatory.
If your piece can jump again from where it lands, it must keep jumping — a multi-jump.
Reach the far row to crown a king, which moves and captures in all four diagonal directions.

Checkers rules at a glance

When any capture is available, you must take one (you choose which if there are several).
Crowning ends the move, even if the new king could keep jumping.
You win by capturing every enemy piece — or by leaving your opponent no legal move. Being stuck loses in checkers, unlike chess.
If 40 moves pass with no capture and no crowning, the game is a draw.

Strategy tips

Control the centre — pieces on the edge attack half as many squares.
Keep your back row intact early; it stops enemy pieces from crowning.
Forced captures cut both ways: offer a piece to drag your opponent into a bigger multi-jump.
When you're ahead in pieces, trade aggressively — a 3-on-2 endgame is far easier to win than 9-on-8.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to capture in checkers?: In the standard American rules used here, yes — if a jump exists you must take one, and multi-jumps must be completed. It's the rule that gives checkers its tactics.
Is a stalemate a draw in checkers?: No — if you have no legal move, you lose. Draws happen instead by attrition: 40 moves without a capture or crowning ends the game as a draw.
How do kings work?: A piece reaching the far row is crowned a king and can move and capture one square diagonally in all four directions. In American checkers kings do not fly across the board.
Is this checkers game free?: Yes — free in your browser against the computer, with no download, account or ads between moves.

New to Checkers?

Read the full beginner's guide to Checkers — setup, a worked example, the five most common beginner mistakes, and a glossary.