Competitive Checkers

Competitive checkers has a rich tradition dating back centuries. Modern tournaments follow established rules designed to test genuine skill, minimize draws, and ensure fairness.

Governing Bodies

American Checker Federation (ACF)

The ACF governs 8×8 checkers competition in the United States. It:

  • Organizes national championships
  • Maintains player ratings
  • Sets rules and standards
  • Publishes the official rulebook

World Draughts Federation (FMJD)

The FMJD governs international draughts competition worldwide:

  • Oversees World Championships for 10×10 (International Draughts) and 8×8 variants
  • Has member federations from dozens of countries
  • Maintains international ratings

The Three-Move Ballot

What It Is

The three-move ballot (or three-move restriction) is the most distinctive feature of competitive 8×8 checkers. Instead of players choosing their own openings, the first three moves of each game are randomly selected from a pre-approved list.

Why It Exists

Without the ballot:

  • Top players memorize deeply analyzed opening lines
  • Many games follow identical paths with predetermined outcomes
  • Draws are extremely common

With the ballot:

  • Players face a variety of starting positions
  • Deeper understanding of the game is rewarded over rote memorization
  • More decisive results

How It Works

  1. Before each round, an opening (three moves) is randomly drawn
  2. Both players play the drawn opening twice — once as each color
  3. The winner of the pair (best result across both games) advances

The 156 Approved Openings

There are exactly 156 three-move openings in the standard ballot. Three openings have been barred because they give one side a forced win: 9-14/22-18/12-16, 11-15/21-17/9-13, and 10-15/21-17/15-19.

Time Controls

Standard Time

  • 30 minutes per player is the most common standard time control
  • Some tournaments use 40 minutes for championship matches

Quick Play

  • 15 minutes per player for faster tournaments
  • Some events use 10 minutes (rapid) or 5 minutes (blitz)

Increment

Modern tournaments often add a time increment (e.g., 10 seconds per move) to prevent time scrambles and allow players to think in critical moments.

Scoring

Result Points
Win 1
Draw 0.5
Loss 0

In match play (two-game pairs under the three-move ballot):

  • Winning both games = match win
  • Winning one, drawing one = match win
  • Drawing both = match draw
  • Splitting (each player wins one) = match draw

Draw Rules

Draws are a significant part of competitive checkers:

  • Agreement — both players agree the position is drawn
  • Repetition — the same position occurs three times
  • 40-move rule — if no capture or promotion occurs in 40 moves, the game is drawn
  • Insufficient material — certain piece combinations can’t force a win

Getting Started in Competition

  1. Learn the rules thoroughly — especially forced captures, timing, and touch-move
  2. Play online — gain experience against a variety of opponents
  3. Study openings — familiarity with the 156 ballot openings gives a significant edge
  4. Join a local club — if available, in-person play develops different skills than online
  5. Enter a tournament — most tournaments have beginner sections or unrated divisions