From basic moves to king-level tactics — everything you need to dominate the board.
Checkers Master uses intuitive drag-and-drop controls that work on every device. Here is how to interact with the board:
| Action | Desktop | Mobile / Tablet |
|---|---|---|
| Select a piece | Click on the piece | Tap the piece |
| Move a piece | Drag to target square | Drag or tap destination |
| Capture an opponent | Drag over the enemy piece | Tap the landing square |
| Chain jump | Keep dragging after first capture | Tap each successive landing square |
When you select a piece, all legal destination squares will be highlighted automatically, so you never have to guess where you can move.
DRAG & DROP
Red moves diagonally forward. When jumping, the captured piece is removed.
The goal of Checkers Master is simple: capture all of your opponent's pieces, or position your pieces so that the opponent has no legal moves left.
Each player starts with 12 pieces arranged on the dark squares of the three rows closest to their side. Red always moves first.
The game ends when:
STARTING POSITION
Each side: 12 pieces on dark squares across 3 rows.
Regular pieces move one square diagonally forward (toward the opponent's side). They can only land on dark (unoccupied) squares. You cannot move backward with a regular piece.
If an opponent's piece is on an adjacent diagonal square and the square beyond it is empty, you must jump over the opponent's piece to capture it. The captured piece is removed from the board. If a capture is available, it is mandatory — you cannot choose to make a regular move instead.
After making a capture, if your piece lands on a square from which another capture is possible, you must continue jumping. A single turn can involve two, three, or even more captures in a row. These chain jumps are one of the most satisfying moments in checkers.
When a piece reaches the last row on the opponent's side, it is promoted to a King. Kings are visually distinguished on the board (usually with a crown icon or double stack). Kings can move and capture both forward and backward diagonally, making them extremely powerful pieces.
MULTI-JUMP EXAMPLE
Red jumps two white pieces in a single turn!
New to checkers? These five principles will immediately improve your game:
Two kings placed side by side on a diagonal form a "bridge." This formation is extremely hard to break through and can be used to dominate the endgame. If you manage to get two kings while your opponent has none, maintaining a bridge position almost guarantees victory.
The "dog hole" refers to the double-corner square at the edge of the board. Trapping an opponent's piece in the dog hole limits its mobility to a single diagonal, effectively neutralising it. Drive pieces toward the edges to restrict your opponent's options.
A "shot" in checkers is a tactical sacrifice that forces a sequence of mandatory captures, resulting in a net gain of material. Planning a shot requires counting jumps carefully — sacrifice one piece to capture two or three in return. The best shots are disguised moves that appear ordinary until the trap springs.
In the endgame (when each side has five or fewer pieces), king mobility becomes paramount. Centralise your kings, avoid being pinned to the edges, and try to force your opponent's pieces into a line where they can be captured in a chain. Patience is key — rushing often gives the opponent a counter-opportunity.