Russian checkers

• Board
• Objective
• Play
• Captures

The Russian Checkers are played on a common 8x8 checkerboard.

The initial position of dark and light checkers is shown on the following picture:

Players move alternatively, starting from the player with the light checkers.

Ordinary checkers can move diagonally forward to an adjacent cell.

When an ordinary checker ends its move on the last row of the board it is promoted to a king. If an ordinary checker reaches the last row by capturing an enemy piece (i.e. by jumping over it) and it can continue to capture additional enemy pieces as a king then the move should be continued.

Kings can move any number of cells diagonally (exactly like a bishop in Chess). Kings cannot jump over own pieces or over two or more enemy pieces standing one after another.

Neither ordinary checkers nor kings can land on an occupied cell.

An ordinary checker can capture an enemy piece standing on an adjacent dark cell if the next cell in the same direction is empty. The capture can be made both in forward and backward directions by jumping over the enemy piece and placing the own checker on the next empty cell. The captured enemy piece is removed from the board. If the same player's checker can continue capturing another enemy piece then it must do it.

A king can capture an enemy piece standing on the same diagonal line if there are no other pieces between them and the next cell or cells in the same direction are empty. The capture is made by jumping over this enemy piece and placing the king on any of the next empty cells. If the same player's king can continue capturing another enemy piece then it must do it.

While capturing several enemy pieces it is illegal to make sequental jumps in opposite direction.

The capture is mandatory. It means that if the player can capture an enemy piece (or pieces) on his turn then he must do it.

If a player has a choice of jump sequences then he can choose any sequence he wants.