Checkers Game Terms is about the
timeless board game
that has found a place at gamerisms following the classic games of
chess and
backgammon.
This article details checker game terms, rules, jumping and capturing
and
is followed by a description and tips about tournament play online for
all skill games.
Ever wonder how checkers came to be?

We play this board game with friends and family and we seldom realise
that
the game has a long and colorful history behind it.
Checkers Game Terms and History
Checkers is believed to have originated in the desert country of Egypt
where it was known as Alquerque around 650 BC, though there are caves
from 1400 BC that depict Alquerque like images.
The game was played by philosophers and thinkers such as Plato and
Homer as it provided immense mental challenge.
This game closely resembles modern checkers as it features similar flat
pieces with dark and light colours, a lattice based board and the aim
of capturing the opponent’s pieces.
The modern version is believed to have conceived in the 12th century in
the south of France where it combined the basics of Alquerque on a
chessboard. It made its way to England in the 16th century with the
name of Draughts and by the late 1900, had spread to most of Europe
with formalised rules, moves and procedures being extensively recorded
and covered.
Checkers is the common name in North America and likewise, many
countries have their own localised names and rules, all variants from
the original Alquerque.
Checkers Game Terms
This board game between 2 players who rotate turns begins with a set of
12 discs of red or black. The board is divided into a grid of 64
squares, 32 black and 32 red.
In the opening position, each player places their 12 pieces on the dark
squares nearest to their edge of the board. The game commences with the
black moving first and continues for each player in turn.
Checkers Game Terms:
Jumping and
Capturing
A piece can only be moved diagonally on to the dark squares until it
has been crowned as the king.
Players capture their challenger's pieces by jumping over them
diagonally to the next empty diagonal space if available. The jumped
pieces are then captured and removed from the board.
If you can make a jump, you have no option but to proceed, however if
there are several jumps available, you select one. A player
cannot jump their man/piece or the same piece twice in the same move.
Additionally, a player is permitted to make multiple jumps if the
pieces of the challenger are arranged in that manner.
It is possible to change the direction of the jump. For example, if one
piece is captured by jumping on the next diagonal, another piece may be
captured by jumping in the left direction at the same time.
Checkers Game Terms
- Analyze: each move that
you make to determine strategy for you and
against your opponent's anticipated moves.
- Blockade: a position in
which one player's pieces cannot move. Could
signal the end of the game.
- Capture: the elimination
of one or more opponent's pieces by jumping
over them.
- Checkerboard: the
64-square board for this game.
- Jump: a move in which the
second square is originally vacant and the
intervening square is filled by a rival piece--thus captured.
- Kings: when a piece
reaches the challenger’s end of the board, it is
crowned as king and it can move both forward and backward diagonally
only. Also, a king can jump in all four directions. As the game
progresses and one of the players is unable to move either due to their
pieces being captured or blocked, he or she loses.
- Man or Piece: term for a
single checker.
- Pre-determined strategies:
used to block your opponent’s pieces.
Side pieces cannot be jumped so try to keep pieces on the sides.
Centralize the kings as they make uncrowned pieces defenseless. Also,
block you opponent’s pieces from becoming kings.
- Two for one strategy:
this strategy is the forced capture trick where
you play your piece in such a way that it loses itself along with two
pieces of the opponent.
- Trap: a line of play that
appears favorable on the surface but often
backfires.
If you like to play skill games online, the checkers game terms, rules,
info
and strategies
following will get you in the game!
Checkers Game Terms, Rules
and Tournaments
There are many types of tournaments to play online. This is a brief
explanation and checker game rules.
Arcade tournaments are played against other players and the highest
score wins the prize pot.
Two types available are Instant Prize or Jackpot.
Instant Prizes are awarded for the top score in a competition involving
up to 10 players.
Jackpot Tournaments end at a pre-set finish time. The jackpot increases
for each player entry, therefore, the more players, the larger the
Jackpot.
After the closing time, the winner is notified and payouts are
deposited to their account.
Checkers Game Terms and Tournament Strategies
1) Try several tournament games, checkers game included, as you will
find your skill level is
better for specific games. Rummy may be your best game rather than
mahjong.
2) If you are not a morning person, try playing late at night. Mix up
your playing times and in turn, you will play against a mix of
opponents.
3) Play tournaments with fewer opponents.
As with any skill game, the results of tournaments are based mainly on
skill, not luck.
When playing skill games online and due to proprietary algorithms, the
element of luck has been significantly reduced.
Additionally, players are matched based on their skill levels that
ensures a level playing field for online skill games.
Checkers
Game Terms
is
followed by Chess Attack Strategy
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