Everything you need to go from beginner to strategist — rules, controls, and advanced techniques in one comprehensive guide.
Click on one of your pieces to select it, then click on a highlighted valid square to move. Alternatively, drag the piece directly to the target square.
Tap a piece to select it and tap the destination square, or use drag-and-drop by pressing and sliding the piece to where you want it.
Use the on-screen buttons to undo your last move or restart the game. Perfect for experimenting with different strategies.
When you select a piece, valid moves are highlighted on the board. Mandatory jumps are clearly indicated so you never miss a capture.
Checkers Master is played on an 8×8 board with 64 alternating dark and light squares. Only the 32 dark squares are used. Each player starts with 12 pieces placed on the dark squares of the three rows closest to them, leaving two empty rows in the center.
Regular pieces (also called "men") move one square diagonally forward toward the opponent's side. Pieces can only land on dark, unoccupied squares. You cannot move backward with a regular piece — only Kings can do that.
To capture an opponent's piece, jump over it diagonally to the empty square directly beyond it. The captured piece is removed from the board. If after a jump another capture is available, you must continue jumping in the same turn (multi-jump or chain capture). Captures are mandatory — if you can jump, you must.
When a piece reaches the farthest row on the opposite side of the board (the opponent's back row), it is "crowned" and becomes a King. Kings are marked with a special symbol and can move and capture diagonally both forward and backward, making them significantly more powerful.
You win by capturing all of your opponent's pieces or by blocking them so they have no legal moves remaining. A draw may occur if neither player can force a win, though this is rare in well-played games.
Pieces in the center of the board have more movement options and can respond to threats from either side. Avoid clustering your pieces along the edges where their mobility is limited.
Keep at least one piece on your back row for as long as possible. This prevents your opponent from easily crowning their pieces, which can swing the game dramatically.
Before each move, consider what your opponent will do in response. Ask yourself: "If I move here, does it open a capture for them?" This simple habit dramatically improves your play.
If you have more pieces than your opponent, look for opportunities to trade (exchange captures). Each equal trade leaves you with a larger relative advantage.
Since captures are mandatory in checkers, you can strategically position a piece as "bait" so that your opponent is forced to jump into a worse position. Set up a sacrifice that leads to a double or triple jump on your next turn.
A "bridge" is when two pieces protect each other diagonally, making them impossible to capture individually. Use bridges to create a stable defensive structure while advancing other pieces to pressure your opponent.
In the endgame, a single King can hold off multiple men if positioned well. When you have the advantage, coordinate your pieces to corner an opponent's King. Use two or more pieces to cut off its escape routes systematically.
No. In standard American/British checkers rules used by Checkers Master, regular pieces can only move and capture diagonally forward. Only Kings, which are created when a piece reaches the opponent's back row, can move and capture in both directions.
If you cannot make any legal move on your turn — either because all your pieces are blocked or you have none remaining — you lose the game. This is one of the two main win conditions (the other being capturing all opponent pieces).
Draws are uncommon but can occur when neither player can make progress toward a win, such as when both sides have a single King endlessly chasing each other. In competitive play, draws are declared after a set number of moves without captures.
No. You can only jump over (and capture) your opponent's pieces. You cannot jump over your own pieces — they simply block your path. Good positioning means keeping your pieces from blocking each other.