Everything you need to know — from basic rules to advanced strategies that will sharpen your game.
Click on a piece to select it, then click on a highlighted square to move. Or drag and drop your piece directly.
Tap a piece to select it, then tap the destination square. You can also drag and drop pieces with your finger.
Use the restart button to begin a fresh game at any time. The board resets to the standard starting position.
The primary way to win is to jump over and remove all 12 of your opponent's pieces from the board. Each successful jump captures one enemy piece. Chain multiple jumps together for devastating multi-capture moves.
Alternatively, you win if your opponent has pieces remaining but none of them can make a legal move. This is called a "stalemate victory" — strategic positioning can trap your opponent completely.
The game is played on an 8×8 board with alternating dark and light squares. Each player starts with 12 pieces placed on the dark squares of the three rows closest to them. Only the dark squares are used during play.
Regular pieces move one square diagonally forward to an adjacent empty dark square. You cannot move backwards with regular pieces, and you cannot move onto light squares or squares occupied by other pieces.
If an opponent's piece is on an adjacent diagonal square and the square beyond it is empty, you must jump over it. The captured piece is removed from the board. If another jump is available after landing, you must continue jumping — this is a multi-capture or chain jump.
If a capture is available on your turn, you must take it. You cannot choose to make a non-capturing move when a jump is possible. If multiple captures are available, you may choose which one to take.
When a regular piece reaches the last row on the opposite side of the board, it is "crowned" and becomes a king. Kings are visually marked and gain the powerful ability to move and capture both forward and backward diagonally.
Pieces in the center of the board have more movement options and control more squares. Avoid hugging the edges early in the game.
Keep pieces on your back row as long as possible. This prevents your opponent from easily crowning their pieces into kings.
If you have more pieces than your opponent, trading pieces (1-for-1 exchanges) increases your advantage. Simplify the board when you're winning.
Always consider your opponent's possible responses before moving. Look 2-3 moves ahead to avoid walking into traps or forced captures.
Position one of your pieces so that it threatens to capture two different opponent pieces on your next turn. Your opponent can only save one, guaranteeing you a capture. Forks are especially powerful with kings.
Deliberately offer one of your pieces to be captured in order to set up a multi-jump combination. A well-timed sacrifice can swing the game in your favor by capturing 2 or even 3 pieces in return.
In the endgame, having even one extra king can be decisive. Kings control the entire board from central positions. Use them to corral opponent pieces into corners where they have fewer escape routes.
Place two of your pieces diagonally adjacent to each other to form a "bridge." This formation is difficult for your opponent to break through and creates a strong defensive wall while you maneuver other pieces into attacking positions.
You've learned the rules and strategies. Now it's time to jump in and play. Show the board what you've got!
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