Q&A for How to Win at Checkers

Just force them to move their back row by forced capture or by mandatory move because there are no other available moves.

If the question is can the "men" capture a "king," yes!

By thinking ahead and not moving to a position that will create a mandatory move on your next turn. However, you can't avoid mandatory moved entirely, nor should you want to, since they are the only way to capture your opponent's pieces and ultimately win.

Yes.

Yes. You may be able to trap them while they are trying to reach the end. Unlike the king, they cannot rush back home.

Yes, according to most rules.

You may need to practice with a different opponent.

When you get to the opponent's starting line, you can stack two checkers on top of each other or turn one upside down.

Yes, as many as you want, as long as you are jumping over your opponent's pieces.

Kinds can make jumps, but they can also be taken by the opponent.

No.

In many professional games, there are rules where once you take your hand off a piece, it is no longer your turn. In other cases, such as friends or family, you might be able to redo some of your moves.

If you are cornered then you are cornered. There might be a way to get uncornered in certain situations, however.

Do not leave an open space behind a checker. Always make sure there is another checker in the space in back of your first checker.

Yes, aim to get one king behind the other when the opponent is in the diagonal corners. Then when s/he moves, put your king in the corner they have vacated.

It depends on if you have more experience than the other player.

No. Once you get kinged, you have to stay there until it's your move again.

Move a checker to the side of the board.

No, the computer plays just like a live person. It tends to follow your pattern, so you must change tactics in order to beat it.

In traditional checkers, he has to jump. Some people play the game so that if both people agree, you are not forced to make a jump when one is available.

If you kill a king in checkers, it is removed from the board. It acts just like the other regular pieces, except it can travel in different directions.

When two checkers are beside each other vertically and your checker is diagonally beside one of it, you may do a forward-backward move, unless you are playing draughts or American checkers. This is because in their rules, a backward capture is invalid.

The king can move diagonally forward and backward, whereas non-king pieces may only move forward diagonally.

No, only kings may move or jump backward.

No, the king is like a normal piece, except it can move backward and forward.

Only if the chip is a king. In this case, your checker could jump your opponent's checker twice going forward, but can't go back if it isn't a king. You can only go both ways on the board if the checker is a king.

Check the website of the American Checker Federation, usacheckers.com. Tournaments are listed there, as are clubs. You will also find information on how to sign up.

Yes. A king is no different from a regular piece in that regard. If more than one jump is available, the player may choose which jump to make.

No, you cannot jump over your own checker, even if it is to get to an opponent's checker. This applies to both kings and regular men.

Yes, I would do that.