Chess is a game everyone is familiar with. You must have seen a chessboard someplace, sometime. But do you know there is another game, not any variation of chess, that can be played with a chess board? The name of that game is checkers — or draughts if you like.
This is a really simple game. This game is played on a chessboard, as mentioned earlier, with 24 pieces which are called 'checkers'.
The pieces sit, and move, only on the black squares. The white squares are just for decoration in this game because you cannot really rip them out or anything.
Among the 24 checkers (pieces), each player gets 12. Each player has to put their 12 pieces on the black squares, on a side of the board of which the last square on the right is white.
Players have to sit opposite of each other. Since the board has 8 rows, 6 of the rows will be taken up by the players' checkers, leaving two open rows in the middle of the board.
Among the 24 pieces, 12 are black and 12 are white — or red, in some cases. Whatever the col or combination, black always makes the first move.
The rules to move the checkers is simpler. They only move diagonally forward.
If there is an opponent piece on a square and an empty square behind it, diagonally left or right to you, you can jump over it. That opponent piece will be captured.
If you get a chance to jump, you must take it. You cannot avoid a jump. Although, if there are several jump opportunities available, you can choose one.
You can only move your piece once, be it a normal move or a jump.
However, if you have just made a jump and you are in a position to make another jump, you will have to do it. This way, if you have an opponent piece in a position fit to be jumped over immediately after a jump, you will have to continue jumping, until opportunities run out—or you win! (Which will be very lucky, not to say nearly impossible.)
Should one, or more, of your pieces reach any square of the opposite-most row, it is upgraded, from an ordinary piece to a 'king'. The difference between an average piece and a king is that a king can move backward too.
To crown your piece to make it king, simply place one of your own captured pieces on top of it, so it is easily distinguishable because of its height.
Some checkers set have a crown on the back of the pieces, so you can just flip a piece over to designate it as the king instead.
There is no limit as to how many of your pieces can become kings. That is to say, you can promote all of them to kings!
Continue capturing your opponent's pieces until they are all removed. Once this is done, you win!
A less common way to win is when all of your opponent's pieces are blocked so that you opponent cannot make any more moves. Another less common way is when all your checker pieces (still remaining) make it back to the starting line.
And you know what the most amazing part about this is? You just need a chess board, the pieces (which, sometimes, come with chess boards) and two players and the game is on!
You can also play the game here.