Rules:EnglishInternational
English: men move and capture only forward and a king steps one square; international: men also capture backwards, kings fly along the whole diagonal and the longest capture is a must.
Play:Computer – easyComputer – normalTwo players
Your move – you play the red baubles
Baubles taken: 0 · snowballs taken: 0 · Won against the computer: 0 of 0
How to play
English – A man moves one square diagonally forward and captures forward only, by jumping over a piece onto the empty square right behind it. Capturing is a must – any of the captures will do – and a multiple capture goes on to its end, but a man that reaches the last row while capturing stops there. A man on the last row becomes a king with a gold star, which moves and captures one square in every direction.
International – A man moves forward but captures both forward and backwards, and a king flies: any number of free squares along a diagonal, capturing from afar and landing on any free square behind the piece. Capturing is a must and the capture that takes the most pieces has to be chosen; the pieces taken leave the board only after the whole move, and none may be jumped twice. A man that lands on the last row during a capture and can capture on as a man goes on as a man – it becomes a king only when its move ends there.
Tap one of your pieces, then a highlighted square: one tap on the last square plays a whole multiple capture, and the outlined pieces are the ones that must capture. Whoever has no pieces or no move left loses; 40 moves in a row made only with kings and without a capture end the game in a draw.
Why play? Checkers is a family game for the holidays: after the Christmas dinner it is played at the table on a tablet or phone, with no board or pieces to look for. Grandparents and grandchildren can play each other on one tablet, and when nobody is free the computer is always ready for a game.
Also useful
More on santa.haus
- Christmas quizzesTrivia and emoji puzzles, checked as you play, with sheets to print for teams.
- Christmas bingoa card of its own on each phone, a caller that draws the words, or up to 40 different cards to print.
- Party gamesCharades, “Who am I?” and fifteen one-minute games – played in teams on one phone.
- Advent calendarMake one online and send it: a door a day until Christmas Eve.
- Online Christmas cardPick a picture, write your wishes and send the card as a link. Free, no account.
- Christmas printablesColoring pages, cards, gift wrapping and decorations to cut out – print them at home, free.
Drawing names for gifts too? Secret Santa on santa.haus.