How to Use This Glossary

This glossary covers every term you’ll encounter while learning and playing checkers. Terms are organized alphabetically.

Barred

A position where a player has no legal moves. If you bar your opponent, you win the game.

Block

Positioning pieces so that the opponent’s pieces cannot move. If all of an opponent’s pieces are blocked, you win.

Bridge

Two friendly pieces positioned diagonally adjacent to each other, providing mutual support. Bridges are the basic defensive unit in checkers.

Capture (Jump)

Moving a piece diagonally over an adjacent opponent’s piece to an empty square beyond. The jumped piece is removed from the board. See forced capture rule.

Center

The four central squares of the board. Controlling the center gives pieces maximum flexibility and is a fundamental strategic principle.

Crown (Promotion)

When a piece reaches the opponent’s back row, it is crowned as a king by placing a second piece on top. A crowned piece can move and jump in all diagonal directions.

Dark Squares

The 32 playable squares on the checkers board. All movement occurs on dark squares only.

Dog Hole

A piece trapped in the single corner where it has only one escape route. Dog holes are weak positions.

Double Corner

The corner where two friendly pieces can sit side by side. The double corner is a defensive stronghold — a king in the double corner is very difficult to capture.

Double Jump

A sequence where a piece makes two consecutive jumps in the same turn. If a third jump is available after the second, it must also be taken.

Draw

A game where neither player wins. Draws occur by agreement, repetition, or when neither player can force a win.

Draughts

The British and international name for checkers. Used in Britain, Australia, and most countries outside North America.

Exchange

A piece trade where both sides lose equal material. For example, losing one piece but capturing one in return.

First Position

A classic endgame position in checkers where two kings and one man face two kings. One of the most studied positions in checkers theory.

Flying King

A king that can move multiple squares along a diagonal (not just one square). Used in International Draughts (10×10) but not in standard American/British checkers.

Forced Capture (Huff)

The rule that you must jump if a jump is available. In some historical variants, the penalty for missing a jump was having the offending piece “huffed” (removed).

Huffing

A historical rule where failing to make a mandatory capture resulted in losing the piece that could have jumped. Modern rules simply require the capture.

Jump

See Capture.

King

A piece that has been promoted by reaching the opponent’s back row. Kings can move and jump forward and backward. See king strategy.

King Row

The opponent’s back row — the row where your regular pieces are promoted to kings.

Man

A regular (non-king) piece. Men can only move and jump diagonally forward.

Move

Moving a piece one square diagonally to an adjacent empty square.

Multiple Jump

A sequence of two or more jumps in the same turn. All available jumps in the sequence must be taken.

Opening

The first several moves of the game. There are 7 possible first moves in standard checkers. See opening moves.

Pitch

Deliberately sacrificing a piece to gain a positional advantage or set up a shot.

Position

The arrangement of all pieces on the board at a given moment.

Shot

A tactical combination involving a sacrifice followed by a sequence of jumps that wins more material than was sacrificed. Shots are the primary tactical motif in competitive checkers.

Single Corner

The corner where only one piece sits at the start. Less defensively secure than the double corner.

Star Position

An endgame formation involving two kings and a man that can force a win in certain configurations. One of the fundamental endgame positions.

Stroke

Another term for a shot or tactical combination.

Tempo

The initiative gained or lost by a single move. Having a tempo advantage means your pieces are one move ahead in reaching key positions.

Trade

Exchanging pieces with the opponent. See Exchange.

Trap

A position where the forced capture rule compels the opponent to make a jump that leads to greater material loss. Setting traps is a key tactical skill.