Although the most widely available sets of checkers consist of black and red boards and pieces, they provide poor visibility, especially for the black pieces on the black squares. You would be able to see the black checkers, but it makes no sense to use checkers of the same color as the squares on which they are placed. If you have only black and red checkers, use a board of some other colors, from a chess set for example. If you have only a black and red board, perhaps you can use pieces of other colors from a backgammon game.
The diagram on the left shows the pieces on the dark squares as they are in actual play. On the right is a diagram of the type usually seen in books and magazines in the United States. Players could make their own diagrams by first using one rubber stamp to make the board, and then four other stamps to put black and white men and kings on the board. By placing the pieces on the unhatched squares they avoided transparent images and blotches. Nowadays, with computers, there is no difficulty in making diagrams with the pieces on the hatched squares. Therefore, this method, which also produces a less crowded appearance, will be used throughout these pages.
To make your own diagrams, similar to the one on the left, above, on a 64, 100 or 144-square board:
As shown here, it includes empty checkerboards of 64, 100, and 144 squares, and men and kings to be "pasted" on the boards by copying and dragging.
Instructions on editing 64100144.BMP to make your own diagrams are included in the file itself. If further explanation is needed, send me e-mail. With practice you can make a typical diagram in 5-10 minutes. You can use the diagrams in records of games you have played, and on personal stationery, including envelopes. Tell the world you're a checker player. The diagrams can also be converted to GIF or JPG format for inclusion on Internet pages. This is how I have made all the checkerboard diagrams on my pages, including the one you see right here. It is a GIF format copy of 64100144.BMP.In Brooklyn one of the best places to play checkers at all skill levels, and to watch some of the very best play, is:
The center is located on the same square block as the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Williamsburg Bank Building, the tallest building in Brooklyn. It is a three-minute walk from the Atlantic Avenue-Pacific Street subway station. Play is year round on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 3:00-10:00 PM on the second floor.
There are actually many variations of checkers. Most people in the United States are probably familiar with straight checkers, also known as English draughts. Men move and jump forward only. Kings move and jump forward and backward. This is true of Italian checkers as well, but in Italian checkers men may not jump kings. In pool, Russian, international and Canadian checkers, the latter two played on larger boards, men jump forward or backward, just as a king in straight and Italian checkers. Also in these four variations, kings cross the board in one move, whether jumping or making a simple move. In Spanish checkers men move and jump forward only, but kings cross the board in one move, so this variation is, so to speak, halfway between the other two types.
Below are links to my pages for each of seven variations of checkers. On them are the rules of the respective games. These rules are not official, but they are accurate. I wrote them in such a way as to make comparison with other variations relatively easy. For instance, each set of rules begins with a description of the board at the start of the game, and with the object of the game, which in all cases is to prevent the opponent from moving when it is his turn to do so, usually, but not always, accomplished by the capture of all his pieces.
I would appreciate e-mail from anyone with rules of other variations of checkers. In particular, I would like to receive clarification as to what happens in Turkish checkers if one player has a king and the other has a man which cannot reach the crowning rank, but which can avoid capture by the king.
Please send me comments and questions on the rules, and on any other material on these pages. In the future there will be information needed to play a respectable game, especially endings, both standard and non-standard. There will also be problems of all types for you to try to solve. On my page, Pool Checkers - Play, there are instructions on winning with three kings against one, and an interesting endgame problem for you to try to solve. To send me a letter, click on the e-mail link at the bottom of any page.
Links to my other pages:
Pool Checkers - Rules