THE GAME OF CHECKERS

THE RULES OF THE GAME

The game of Checkers (English: Draughts) is played on the 32 black or white squares of the Chess board by
two opponents, each of whom has twelve men of the same kind. The object of the game is to capture all
opposing men or to block them so that they cannot move.

The original position of board and men is shown in Diagram 1. It will be seen that the board is placed in
such a way that the players have a vacant square at their lower right hand corner. This corner is called the
DOUBLE CORNER because two men are located in its immediate neighborhood while the left hand corner,
the SINGLE CORNER, is occupied by only one man.

The squares of the Checker board are usually described by numbers as shown in Diagram 86. This is a rather
crude method when compared with the simple notation by means of a system of coordinates as used in Chess,
but as it is universally employed in Checker books and Checker columns in daily papers it will be adhered to
in the following explanation of the game.

The black men are placed on the squares 1 to 12, the white men on the squares 21 to 32. The first move must
invariably be made by the player of the black men.

Diagram 1

The move of the Checker men is a diagonal step forward, one square at a time. If a hostile man is in his way and if the square beyond the hostile man is vacant, he must capture him by jumping over him on to the vacant square, and he must continue capturing from the square on which he lands as long as this is possible according to the above rule. Captured men are removed from the board.

If a man reaches the opposite edge of the board he automatically becomes a King and must be "crowned" by the opponent, who must place another man on top of him. A King may move and capture backward as well as forward. A man, who reaches the "King row" in capturing, cannot, however, continue capturing on the same move with the newly made King.

The position of Diagram 2 may serve to illustrate the above rules. White, on the move, plays 14−9. Black
must capture this man with the man on 5 who jumps on to 14.

Diagram 2

White then sacrifices another man by 23−18 forcing Black to reply 14−23. Now White captures the three men on 23, 15 and 7 with his man on 26, and Black, before making his next move, must crown White's man who has just reached the King's row. He will naturally move his man 8, as otherwise White would capture him with the King on 3.

If a player overlooks the possibility of a capture his opponent has the right to remove the man who should have made the capture, from the board. This procedure is called "huffing" and does not constitute a play.
Instead of huffing a player may ask the opponent to retract his move and to make the capture.

When neither player can force a win the game is considered a draw. When one side appears to be stronger and refuses to accept a draw offered the player of the weaker side can require the win to be demonstrated within 40 moves; otherwise the game is drawn.

ELEMENTARY TACTICS

The first thing a Checker player has to know is what superiority in material or position is required to FORCE a win in the ending. The most elementary case is the one shown in Diagram 3, in which White wins by playing 32−27. With this move White takes the opposition or as most Checker players call it, White has the "move." Whatever Black replies he is forced to the edge of the board and finally he is obliged to let White capture his King. Supposing Black plays (2) 26−22, in order to reach the double corner, where he would be safe as he could indefinitely move from 5 to 1 and from 1 to 5, then White continues with (2) ...,27−23, preventing (3) 22−18 which would gain the road to the double corner. After (3) 22−17, 23−l8; Black has to retreat to the edge by 17−13 or 17−21, and White, by playing 18−14, or 18−22 pins the black King so that he cannot move without being captured. If it had been Black's move in the position of the diagram, he would have gained the opposition by 26−31 and White would have been compelled to retire to the double corner and to draw by 32−28, 28−32, etc.

Diagram 3

With one King entrenched in the double corner it takes two Kings to force the win. In the position of Diagram 4 for instance White would win as follows:

Black White
(1) ... 19−24
(2) 32−28 23−19
(3) 28−32 24−28
(4) 32−27 28−32
(5) 27−31 19−15
(6) 31−26 15−18
(7) 26−31 18−22

In the ending THREE KINGS AGAINST TWO KINGS the most favorable spots for the weaker player are the two double corners; but the three Kings will always win when handled right.

Diagram 4

The method which has to be employed will be evident from the play in Diagram 5. In order to win Black must exchange one King; the position is then reduced to that of Diagram 4.

Diagram 5

If it were White's move, Black would easily win; for after (1) ..., 27−32; (2) 19−24, 9−5; (3) 10−6, White cannot avoid the exchange. For instance: (3) ..., 5−1; (4) 24−19. The problem reduces itself therefore to changing the move from Black to White. This is accomplished by:

Black White
(1) 15−18 27−32
(2) 19−24 9−5
(3) 10−14

Threatening 24−27. White can only reply

(3) ... 32−28
(4) 24−27 5−1
(5) 14−9, etc., as above.

If the weaker side does not control both double corners the exchange can be forced much more easily, as an experiment will quickly show.

Diagram 6

Sometimes the stronger side has an occasion to give up two Kings for one thereby forcing a position similar to that of Diagram 3. Diagram 6 offers an example:

Black on the move wins in 5 moves, thus:

(1) 16−19 27−31
(2) 20−24 32−27
(3) 28−32 27x20
(4) 19−24 20x27
(5) 32x23

and White is pinned.

With three Kings against four a player can sometimes offer prolonged resistance. But finally the stronger player will always be able to force an exchange which secures the victory. In the position of Diagram 7 for instance Black will proceed as follows:

(1) 18−15 19−24

It would not help to play 27−24, as Black would reply 14−17 and exchange on the next move by 10−14.

(2) 11−16

limiting White's mobility.

(2) ... 23−26

In answer to 24−20 Black would play 15−19.

(3) 16−19 24−28
(4) 14−18 26−30
(5) 19−23 28−32
(6) 15−19 27−31

Diagram 7

Not 30−25 on account of 18−22.

(7) 10−14 31−26
(8) 14−17 26−31
(9) 17−22 31−27
(10) 19−16 27−24
(11) 16−19 and wins.

If, on the 10th move, White played 27−31 instead of 27−24, the game might proceed as follows:

(11) 18−15 32−28
(12) 15−19 28−32
(13) 22−26 31x22
(14) 23−27 32x23
(15) 19x17

These possibilities of exchanging "two for two" should always be looked for as they often occur, enabling awin within a few moves.