Rules Of Checkers
More Rules Of Checkers
The English Game - There are additional checkers rules specified in the English game (called Draughts) which generally apply to the American game as well. One is, that if a situation arises where more than one piece can jump an opponent's piece, the player about to do the jumping may select which piece to move to jump. It does not have to be the piece which could capture the most pieces. Strategy would dictate the choice of which piece to move. Also, if a player fails to jump a piece when the option existed, that player’s piece would be eliminated. In other words, if you had the option to jump, and could capture 4 of your opponent’s pieces, but only captured 3, your piece would be eliminated. Kings cannot be jumped.
Tournament Play - There are several additional checkers rules which apply during tournament play. The basic rules of the game however remain the same. In tournament play the official game board is not red and black, but green and buff, with the pieces placed on the green squares. The squares are 2 inch-squares and the pieces are red and white. The pieces must be between one and one-quarter and one and one-half inches in diameter.
To begin play, the players toss for colors, with the first move made by the player winning red. The colors assigned to the players are alternated after each game. Once a game begins, there is a time constraint. A player must make a minimum of thirty moves within one hour. If thirty moves are made within an hour then one hour is added to that player's clock. If a player fails to make thirty moves within the hour, he or she must forfeit the game and the opponent is declared winner by default.
An additional time constraint applies to jumping. When a player has the opportunity to jump, and the jump is not made within one minute, time is called. If the jump is not completed by the end of the second minute the player will lose the game. When a player is faced with having more than one way to jump, five minutes will be allowed to complete the move.
Under normal circumstances you would not touch one of your opponent's pieces during the course of a game. If you should do so, either inadvertently or on purpose, you must play that piece or forfeit the game. Whenever a piece reaches an opponent's king's row and is crowned, it is the opponent who actually does the crowing. The opponent must do this before he/she can make the next move.
Once a game is underway, neither player may leave the table without permission of the referee, and if leaving the table, must be accompanied by either the opponent or another designated person. The clock will continue to run for the player who requested to leave the table. There are also checkers rules in tournament play which apply to proper etiquette and decorum. Usually warnings will be given first, and if not heeded, forfeiture may be the result.
Strategic Rules - Finally, there are some additional checkers rules that anyone desiring to become an advanced player needs to be aware of. There are the rules pertaining to strategy. They are not hard and fast, but are based upon the collective wisdom and experience of many of the top players in the game. These rules tell you what you need to do to consistently play winning checkers. As such, the rules are not to just be memorized, but are to be studied and understood. No one will fault you if you don't follow these rules, but a good player may well take advantage of your neglect. There are rules for the best strategies to follow in the opening game, the mid-game and the end game. Obviously some of these, particularly for the end game, can get rather complicated, and can even be quite controversial at times.
One of the basic checkers rules, as far as strategy is concerned, is to work towards controlling the center of the board. That is where the power is. Controlling the center of the board in checkers is the same as controlling the center of the board in a game of chess, or as important as field position is in football or soccer. The rules of strategy are best reserved for another article, or better yet, for a book consisting of several volumes.
Then there are checkers rules for Canadian checkers, Greek Checkers, Turkish checkers and several other variations of English draughts or American checkers. But most of the differences among these varieties of the game are rather minor. There is Chinese checkers, but that's a different game entirely!