A World of Checkers Variants

Checkers isn’t one game — it’s a family of games with dozens of variants played across the globe. Each version shares the core concept of jumping over opponent pieces to capture them, but the details — board size, king powers, capture rules — vary significantly.

Major Variants

American/British Checkers (English Draughts)

The “standard” version most people know:

  • Board: 8×8 (32 dark squares)
  • Pieces: 12 per player
  • Kings: Move one square in any diagonal direction
  • Captures: Forward only for men; mandatory jumps
  • Special rules: Men cannot capture backward

This is the version that was solved in 2007 — perfect play results in a draw.

International Draughts (10×10)

The global competitive standard:

  • Board: 10×10 (50 dark squares)
  • Pieces: 20 per player
  • Kings: Flying kings (move any distance along diagonals)
  • Captures: Men can capture backward; maximum capture rule
  • Popular in: Netherlands, France, Russia, West Africa

See the full guide at International Draughts.

Russian Checkers (Shashki)

Similar to International Draughts but on a smaller board:

  • Board: 8×8 (32 dark squares)
  • Pieces: 12 per player
  • Kings: Flying kings (like International Draughts)
  • Captures: Men can capture backward; can promote mid-jump
  • Popular in: Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia

The key difference from American checkers: flying kings and backward captures for men.

Brazilian Draughts

Essentially International Draughts rules on a smaller board:

  • Board: 8×8 (32 dark squares)
  • Pieces: 12 per player
  • Kings: Flying kings
  • Captures: Men capture backward; maximum capture rule
  • Popular in: Brazil, Portuguese-speaking countries

Turkish Checkers (Dama)

A dramatically different variant:

  • Board: 8×8 (all 64 squares used)
  • Pieces: 16 per player
  • Movement: Orthogonal (horizontal and vertical), not diagonal
  • Kings: Flying kings moving orthogonally
  • Popular in: Turkey, Middle East, North Africa

Turkish Checkers feels like a completely different game because of orthogonal movement.

Canadian Checkers

The largest standard variant:

  • Board: 12×12 (72 dark squares)
  • Pieces: 30 per player
  • Kings: Flying kings
  • Captures: Men capture backward; maximum capture rule
  • Popular in: Canada (Quebec)

The 12×12 board makes this variant very complex and strategically rich.

Italian Checkers (Dama Italiana)

A historical European variant:

  • Board: 8×8
  • Pieces: 12 per player
  • Kings: Move one square
  • Special rules: Men cannot capture kings; mandatory maximum capture by kings
  • Popular in: Italy

Spanish Checkers (Damas)

  • Board: 8×8
  • Pieces: 12 per player
  • Kings: Flying kings
  • Special rules: Maximum capture rule
  • Popular in: Spain, parts of Latin America

Pool Checkers

  • Board: 8×8
  • Pieces: 12 per player
  • Kings: Flying kings
  • Popular in: African American tradition in the United States

Frisian Draughts

A unique variant from the Netherlands:

  • Board: 10×10
  • Pieces: 20 per player
  • Special rules: Pieces can also capture orthogonally, not just diagonally
  • Popular in: Friesland (Netherlands)

How to Choose a Variant

If you want… Try…
Simple rules, classic experience American/British Checkers
Maximum complexity and depth International Draughts or Canadian Checkers
Something completely different Turkish Checkers
Flying kings on a small board Russian or Brazilian Checkers

The Common Thread

Despite their differences, all checkers variants share:

  • Two players, opposing colors
  • Jumping to capture
  • Piece promotion
  • The goal: eliminate or immobilize all opponent pieces

This shared DNA means skills transfer between variants. Learn one, and you’ll have a head start on all the others.