The Rules of Checkers
=====================

Board
-----

The regular checkerboard is comprised of 64 squares of contrasting colors,
like black and white. The checker pieces may be red and white in color (or
any combination of contrasting colors), usually grooved.

The black board squares are numbered either 1 to 32 or using the chess a1 to
h8 notation. The diagram below shows the pieces set up for play, with Black
occupying squares 1 to 12 (lines 6 to 8 in the chess notation) and White
occupying squares 21 to 32 (lines 1 to 3 in the chess notation).

Chess notation:

   +-------------------------------+
 8 |   |:@:|   |:@:|   |:@:|   |:@:|
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
 7 |:@:|   |:@:|   |:@:|   |:@:|   |
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
 6 |   |:@:|   |:@:|   |:@:|   |:@:|
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
 5 |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
 4 |   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
 3 |:O:|   |:O:|   |:O:|   |:O:|   |
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
 2 |   |:O:|   |:O:|   |:O:|   |:O:|
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
 1 |:O:|   |:O:|   |:O:|   |:O:|   |
   +-------------------------------+
     a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h  

Numerical notation:

         1       2       3       4
   +-------------------------------+
   |   |:@:|   |:@:|   |:@:|   |:@:| 4
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
  5|:@:|   |:@:|   |:@:|   |:@:|   |
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
   |   |:@:|   |:@:|   |:@:|   |:@:|12
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
 13|:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
   |   |:::|   |:::|   |:O:|   |:::|20
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
 21|:O:|   |:O:|   |:::|   |:O:|   |
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
   |   |:O:|   |:O:|   |:O:|   |:O:|28
   |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
 29|:O:|   |:O:|   |:O:|   |:O:|   |
   +-------------------------------+
     29      30      31      32

Each player (White and Black) controls its own army of pieces. Pieces move
only on dark squares which are numbered. The white pieces always move first
in opening the game. For example, suppose White were to open the game by
moving the piece on 23 to the square marked 19, like shown above. This would
be recorded as 23-19. Or e3-f4 in the chess notation. Another possible
notation is ef4.

The goal
--------

The goal in the checkers game is either to capture all of the opponent's
pieces or to blockade them. If neither player can accomplish the above, the
game is a draw.

Moves
-----

Starting with White, the players take turns moving one of their own pieces.
A 'piece' means either a 'man' (other name is 'pawn') - an ordinary single
checker or a 'king' which is what a man becomes if it reaches the last rank
(see kings). A man may move one square diagonally only forward - that is,
toward the opponent - onto an empty square.

Captures
--------

Checkers rules state that captures or 'jumps' are mandatory. If a square
diagonally in front of a man is occupied by an opponent's piece, and if the
square beyond that piece in the same direction is empty, the man may 'jump'
over the opponent's piece and land on the empty square. The opponent's piece
is captured and removed from the board.

In some variants, if in the course of single or multiple jumps the man
reaches the last rank, becoming a king, the turn shifts to the opponent;
no further 'continuation' jump is possible.
 
The kings
---------

When a single piece reaches the last rank of the board by reason of a move,
or as the completion of a 'jump', it becomes a king; and that completes the
move, or 'jump'.

A king can move in any of the four diagonal directions and skip zero, one or
more empty cells, as the limits of the board permit. Similarly, the king can
optionally capture exactly one opponent piece at a time during such jump.

In some variants, a king has the same limits as a man (can't skip empty
cells), just moves and captures in 4 diagonal directions, as opposed to 2
forward directions.
