This is the essential checkers game, and the predecessor of International Draughts. Checkers is now a proven draw and players must compete in the shadow of perfect play.

Rules
The diagram shows the board and the pieces in initial position. There are two players, traditionally red and white. Red begins. Players move, and must move, in turn.
The rules mention men and kings. A king is a promoted man. If the difference doesn't matter, they may also mention pieces, for instance 'the number of pieces on the board'.

Moving Capture precedes over a non-capturing move. If the player to move has no capture available, he has two options: Moving a man Moving a king A man moves diagonally forwards to an adjacent vacant square. If it reaches the back rank it is crowned to king and this marks the end of the move. A king moves diagonally forwards or backwards to an adjacent vacant square.

From here on 'forwards' or 'backwards' will be understood as 'diagonally'.

Capture
Capture precedes over a non-capturing move. If the player to move can make a capture, he must do so.

• A man captures an opponent's piece, man or king, by jumping over it in a forwards direction to the square immediately beyond, which must be vacant for the capture to take place.
  If from this square it can proceed in a similar manner, a forwards jump in the same- or the perpendicular direction, it must do so, and proceed thus till the capture has been fully completed. If the man lands on the back rank, it is crowned to king and this marks the end of the move.
• A king captures an opponent's piece, man or king, by jumping over it in a forwards- or backwards direction to the square immediately beyond, which must be vacant for the capture to take place.
  If from this square it can proceed in a similar manner, a jump in the same- or a perpendicular direction, it must do so, and proceed thus till the capture has been fully completed.
• In the course of a capture a king may visit a square more than once, but it may not capture a piece more than once.
• A player may choose freely between different captures that may be available, regardless of the number or value of the piece(s) taken.
• After a capture has been fully completed, the captured pieces must be removed from the board.

Object
If a player cannot legally move he loses the game. This may come about by losing all pieces or by having all pieces blocked. Draws may occur by 3-fold or mutual agreement. There are some special tournament rules to cover draws.

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