Checkers
Classic 8x8 checkers with mandatory captures, multi-jump chains, and kings, against a minimax CPU or a friend on the same screen.
About Checkers
Checkers is a timeless diagonal-strategy game played on the dark squares of an 8x8 board, twelve pieces a side. Slide forward to maneuver, jump your opponent to capture, and chain multiple jumps in a single turn when the board lines up. Push a man to the far row and it is crowned a King that can glide and capture in every direction. Play against a CPU that ranges from a casual Easy opponent to a Hard alpha-beta minimax that weighs material, kings, and board position, or pass the device for a relaxed two-player match.
How to play Checkers
Pieces move one square diagonally forward onto an empty dark square. To capture, jump over an adjacent enemy piece into the empty square beyond it; if a capture is available anywhere you must take it, and you keep jumping when the same piece can continue. Reach the opposite back row to earn a King that moves and captures both forward and backward. Win by capturing all enemy pieces or leaving your opponent with no legal move.
Controls
Mouse/Touch: tap one of your pieces to select it (its legal squares glow green, captures glow red), then tap a highlighted square to move. Keyboard: Arrow keys or WASD move the cursor, Enter/Space selects a piece then commits a move, U undoes, N starts a new game, M toggles mute, Esc deselects.
Tips & tricks
- Captures are mandatory, so always scan for jumps before planning a quiet move; the rules will force you to take one anyway.
- Hold your back row as long as you can to deny the opponent easy promotions while you race a man toward a King.
- Look for chains: a single well-placed jump can sometimes capture two or three pieces in one turn if the landing squares stay open.
- Trade pieces when you are ahead in material and avoid trades when you are behind to keep your comeback chances alive.
- Control the center and keep your pieces connected so an enemy jump leaves them open to an immediate recapture.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Checkers?
Pieces move one square diagonally forward onto an empty dark square. To capture, jump over an adjacent enemy piece into the empty square beyond it; if a capture is available anywhere you must take it, and you keep jumping when the same piece can continue. Reach the opposite back row to earn a King that moves and captures both forward and backward. Win by capturing all enemy pieces or leaving your opponent with no legal move.
What are the controls for Checkers?
Mouse/Touch: tap one of your pieces to select it (its legal squares glow green, captures glow red), then tap a highlighted square to move. Keyboard: Arrow keys or WASD move the cursor, Enter/Space selects a piece then commits a move, U undoes, N starts a new game, M toggles mute, Esc deselects.
Is Checkers free to play online?
It is. Checkers costs nothing to play here — no account, no app store, no paywall. Just open the page and go.
Can I play Checkers on mobile?
Yes. Checkers works in any modern mobile browser with full touch support, so it plays on phones and tablets as well as on a laptop or desktop — nothing to install.
Who made Checkers?
Checkers was built in-house by the GameStudioHub team using open web technology (HTML5), which is why it runs instantly without any download.
More free 2 player games
Checkers is one of many free 2 player games on GameStudioHub. Browse the whole 2 Player collection, or head back to the home page to explore every category.