International Draughts

A Polish officer introduced the 10x10 draughts board in Paris in the 18th century, and the game spread across Europe under the name "Polish Draughts." Today the FMJD, founded in 1947 in Paris by Jean-Adolphe Bourgeois, governs international competition with over 50 member federations. The board holds 50 playable squares and 20 pieces per player. Kings fly across the full diagonal like bishops in chess. Men capture backward as well as forward. A rule forces you to take the longest capture sequence available. Research on FMJD tournament databases shows that grandmaster games average 45 to 60 moves and routinely involve multi-jump sequences that remove 3 or more pieces in a single turn. Start a game in your browser and test your calculation against the CPU.

1. Pick a mode: play against the CPU at three difficulty levels, or share one device with a friend in 1v1 local mode.
2. Click one of your light pieces to select it. The game highlights all legal destinations in green, and capture targets in red.
3. If captures are available anywhere on the board, you must capture. The game enforces the maximum capture rule, so only the longest capture sequences are offered.
4. Click a highlighted square to move. For multi-jump captures, the game executes the full sequence in one click.
5. When a man reaches the opposite edge of the board, it promotes to a king. A king moves any number of squares diagonally and captures by jumping over a single enemy piece to any empty square beyond it.
6. The game ends when a player has no pieces left or no legal moves. The opponent wins.

• The board is 10x10 with 50 dark playable squares. Light starts with 20 pieces on rows 6 through 9. Dark starts with 20 pieces on rows 0 through 3.
• Light moves first. Players alternate turns.
• Men move one square diagonally forward to an empty square. Kings (flying) move any number of squares diagonally to an empty square.
• Captures are mandatory. If any capture exists, you must take one.
• The maximum capture rule requires you to choose the sequence that captures the most pieces. If two sequences capture the same number, you pick either one.
• Men capture in all four diagonal directions, including backward. Kings capture by sliding over a single enemy piece and landing on any empty square beyond it on the same diagonal.
• A multi-jump continues if more captures are available from the landing square. The same piece cannot be captured twice in one sequence.
• Promotion to king happens only at the end of a capture sequence, not mid-sequence. A man that passes through the king row during a chain stays a man until the chain ends.
• You win by capturing all opponent pieces or by blocking all their legal moves.

• Control the center early. Pieces on central squares have more diagonal options and can redirect to either flank. Edge pieces have half the mobility.
• Hold your back row as long as possible. The four back-row pieces prevent your opponent from promoting easily. Breaking the back row opens king corridors.
• Calculate captures before you move. The maximum capture rule can force you into a bad trade if you do not plan which sequence to take. Count the pieces on both sides of every available chain.
• Trade pieces when you have a material lead. Fewer pieces on the board means fewer capture opportunities for your opponent, which locks in your advantage.
• Use kings to sweep diagonals. A king on an open diagonal controls 10 squares. Position kings on different diagonals to cover the most board area.
• Watch for the "shot" tactic. A sacrificial piece can force your opponent into a capture that opens a longer multi-jump for you. Grandmasters build these combinations 5 to 7 moves in advance.

• American Checkers (8x8): Played on a 64-square board with 12 pieces per player. Kings move one square. Men cannot capture backward. The most common version in North America.
• Brazilian Draughts: Uses the 8x8 board but adopts international rules: flying kings and backward captures. Faster games with the same tactical depth on a smaller board.
• Turkish Draughts: Played on an 8x8 board with 16 pieces per player. Pieces move orthogonally, not diagonally. Kings fly along rows and columns instead of diagonals.
• Canadian Draughts: Uses a 12x12 board with 30 pieces per player. The largest standard draughts variant, with even longer flying king diagonals.

• The 10x10 board creates longer diagonals and more complex combinations than standard checkers.
• The maximum capture rule adds a calculation layer that rewards forward planning over reflex.
• Flying kings can traverse the entire board in one move, creating dramatic turnarounds.
• Tournament games average 30 to 45 minutes, fitting a deep strategic session into a lunch break.
• The FMJD hosts world championships annually, so the game has a living competitive scene with published game databases.

Play International Draughts directly in your browser. No downloads, no registration. Choose CPU difficulty or local 1v1, click to move, and the game enforces all rules automatically: mandatory captures, maximum capture, backward captures, flying kings, and promotion. The board scales to fit desktop, tablet, and phone screens. Use the undo button to take back a move and test different lines.

International Draughts rewards calculation and pattern recognition more than any other checkers variant. The flying kings, backward captures, and maximum capture rule create combinations that can remove 4 or 5 pieces in a single turn. Whether you play the CPU on easy to learn the rules or on hard to test your tactical vision, every game sharpens your ability to think ahead. Pick a mode and make your first move.

• World Draughts Federation (FMJD) - Official Site
• International Draughts - Wikipedia