Checkers

Play checkers online in this free internet checkers game against the computer.
Select your skill level.

How to Play

Simply drag-and-drop the black pieces to move them.

Checkers that may be moved will highlight as the mouse passes over them.

Eligible target squares will highlight as a checker is dragged.

You can select the skill level of the computer's play: the value chosen is the number of moves the computer looks ahead. A value of one means that the computer will pick the move that gives it the best immediate outcome without regard to your counter move. The default value of six makes the computer a reasonably tricky opponent. A value of ten makes the computer extremely difficult to beat, but the amount of time it uses to plan its next move may be prohibitive.

You may surrender the first move to the computer by clicking the Computer First button.

The Rules of Checkers

Players take turns making moves, with black (you) making the first move. To win, you must capture all of your opponent's checkers or block them so that they cannot move.

At the start of the game all checkers may advance toward the opposite side of the board by moving diagonally from one red square to another vacant red square. When a checker reaches the opposite side of the board, the checker is crowned and becomes a king (denoted by a triangle). On subsequent turns, a king can move in any diagonal direction on the board.

If a diagonal square is occupied by an opponent's checker with a vacant square beyond, the opponent's checker must be jumped over and captured. The player must continue jumping if able to do so. The one exception is that when an uncrowned checker jumps into the king row (the opposite side of the board), it cannot jump again until the next turn. When there is more than one way to jump, the player can choose which jump to take.