English draughts

Draughts or checkers (<a href="/facts/American_English/sdAfgPgM">American English</a>), also called straight checkers or simply draughts, is a form of the <a href="/facts/Abstract_strategy_game/bv6APAq9">strategy</a> <a href="/facts/Board_game/ctkuzWJU">board game</a> <a href="/facts/Checkers/zrzKMsyu">checkers</a> (or draughts). It is played on an 8×8 <a href="/facts/Checkerboard/yIQaQoaM">checkerboard</a> with 12 pieces per side. The pieces move and capture diagonally forward, until they reach the opposite end of the board, when they are crowned and can thereafter move and capture both backward and forward.
As in all forms of draughts, English draughts is played by two opponents, alternating turns on opposite sides of the board. The pieces are traditionally black, red, or white. Enemy pieces are captured by jumping over them.
The 8×8 variant of draughts was <a href="/facts/Solved_game/4gpGJng6">weakly solved</a> in 2007 by a team of Canadian computer scientists led by <a href="/facts/Jonathan_Schaeffer/nmHc66VI">Jonathan Schaeffer</a>. From the standard starting position, both players can guarantee a draw with <a href="/facts/Solved_game/4gpGJng6">perfect play</a>.

English draughts open-in-new

English draughts