Checkers & Draughts

Checkers — also called draughts — is the classic board game where you slide pieces diagonally, jump over your opponent's pieces to capture them, and try to leave them with nothing left to move. Play against the computer at six difficulty levels, or hand the phone back and forth with a friend on the same device. NEVER PLAYED BY THE REAL RULES? Most people learn checkers as children and never learn the tournament rules. That is fine — the app teaches them to you on a real board in about a minute. The tutorial walks through five things, one at a time: • How pieces move — diagonally forward, one square, on the dark squares only • How to jump and capture • Why captures are required — the rule that surprises everyone • Chain jumps — one turn can capture two, three or more pieces • Kings — reach the far row, get crowned, and move in all four directions THE RULE THAT LOOKS LIKE A BUG In checkers, if you can jump, you must jump. Tap a piece that is not allowed to move and most apps just ignore you, which feels broken. This one shakes the piece and tells you why, right then: a jump is available somewhere, and the rules say it has to be taken. You still choose which jump. If you would rather play without that rule, turn on Relaxed captures when you start a game. Jumps are never forced, you can stop a chain early, and those results are recorded separately so your real record stays honest. You can reopen the full rules any time from How to play. WHAT MAKES A GAME FEEL FAIR • All six difficulties are unlocked from the start. Nothing to grind, nothing to buy. • No energy, no coins, no account, no sign-in. • Games are never interrupted by ads. Nothing on the board while you play. • Undo is available if you want it — take back your move and the computer's reply. • Draws follow the official rules only, with a visible counter, so a win is never quietly taken away from you. PLAYS ANYWHERE The computer opponent thinks on your phone, so the game works on a plane, on the subway, or with no signal at all. Your game in progress is saved — close the app mid-game and pick up exactly where you left off. THE RULES, IN SHORT Capture all of your opponent's pieces, or block them so they cannot move. Regular pieces move one square diagonally forward. Jump over a neighbouring enemy piece into the empty square behind it to capture it. If a jump is available you must take one, and if the piece can jump again it keeps jumping. Reach the far row and your piece becomes a King, which moves and jumps in all four directions. A quiet game for a few minutes at a time.