Play Checkers
Draughts against a computer that always takes the capture.
Match
Checkers
Loading…
Controls
- Click one of your pieces, then a highlighted square
- R starts a new game
About Checkers
English draughts is the game that computers solved outright. In 2007, after eighteen years of computation, a team at the University of Alberta proved that perfect play by both sides is a draw — making it the largest game ever completely solved at the time.
None of that helps at the board. The compulsory capture rule is what gives checkers its character: because your opponent must take an offered piece, you can steer them into positions they would never choose. Sacrificing one piece to set up a two-for-one is the single most common winning pattern in the game and the one beginners never see coming.
Kings change everything. A crowned piece moves in all four diagonal directions, so the endgame is usually decided by who crowned first. That is why holding your back row matters so much early on, even though those pieces feel idle.
The computer here searches six plies deep with alpha-beta pruning, scoring material, king count, advancement and edge safety. It will punish a loose piece immediately and it never misses a forced capture.
Tips for a higher score
- Keep your back row intact as long as you can. It stops the opponent crowning kings.
- Advance in connected blocks. A lone piece pushed forward is usually a piece you are about to lose.
- Because captures are compulsory, you can force your opponent's move — offering a piece is often a way to steer them into a double capture.
- Control the centre. Pieces on the edge have half the mobility and cannot be captured from one side, which cuts both ways.
- Count the exchange before you take. A capture that gives up two pieces for one is a losing trade even though it feels active.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to capture?
Yes. If any capture is available to you, the only legal moves are captures. The board only highlights moves that are actually legal.
Can I capture backwards?
Only with a king. An uncrowned piece moves and jumps forwards only.
What happens with a multi-jump?
It is played as a single move — the whole chain resolves at once when you click the final square.
How strong is the computer?
It looks six moves ahead. That is enough to punish careless play reliably, though a well-planned sacrifice can still beat it.
More games like this
Tic Tac Toe
BoardThree in a row against an opponent that never blunders.
Play free →Connect Four
BoardDrop your discs and line up four before the computer does.
Play free →Reversi
BoardFlip your way to a full board against a computer that plans ahead.
Play free →Dots and Boxes
BoardDraw a line, close a box, go again.
Play free →