Checkers

If you haven't played checkers in years and years,
it will come back to you. If you've never played before,
the rules appear below.

Checkers, called Draughts in England, made its first appearance in France, apparently during the 12th century.

To Start: Checkers is a two-player game played on the familiar 8-by-8 chess board, with opponents seated on opposite sides of the board. Each player starts with 12 pieces (checkers) of his/her own color on the black squares of the first three rows of his side of the board.

The Play: The object of the game is to capture all of your opponent's pieces, or block them so they cannot be moved. Checkers are moved diagonally, one square at a time, towards the other player's side of the board.

Capturing: You can capture an enemy checker by hopping over it. Capturing, just like moving, is always done on the diagonal. You have to jump from the square directly next to your target and land on the square just beyond it (diagonally!). Your landing square has to be vacant. If you have a capture available on a turn, you have to take it. If you have more than one, it's your choice.

Multiple Captures: It is legal, in fact, required, to capture more than one piece on a single move so long as the jumping checker has vacant landing spots available to it that will also serve as legal take-off points for another jump.

Kings: If you can get a checker to the last row of the board, that checker becomes a king. A king can move or capture going in either direction — forwards or back, but always on the diagonal.