Everything you need to know — from basic controls to advanced winning strategies.
Click on one of your pieces with the left mouse button, hold it down, and drag it to the desired square. Release the mouse button to place the piece. The game will highlight valid moves when you select a piece.
Touch one of your pieces and drag your finger to the target square. The touch controls are optimized for all screen sizes, so the board adjusts automatically to your device.
When you pick up a piece, available destination squares will be highlighted on the board. This visual aid helps you see all legal moves, including multi-jump capture sequences.
The goal of Checkers Master is simple: capture all of your opponent's pieces or block them so they cannot make any legal moves. The player who achieves either condition first wins the match.
Each player starts with 12 pieces arranged on the dark squares of the three rows closest to them. The board is an 8×8 grid with alternating light and dark squares. Pieces only move and capture on the dark diagonal squares.
Regular pieces can only move forward diagonally, one square at a time. They move toward the opponent's side of the board on dark squares only.
Jump over an opponent's piece diagonally to capture it. The jumped piece is removed from the board. If another capture is available after landing, you must continue jumping in the same turn.
When a piece reaches the far row on the opposite side, it becomes a King. Kings can move and capture both forward and backward diagonally, making them far more powerful than regular pieces.
If a capture is available, you must take it — you cannot choose to make a non-capturing move instead. If multiple captures are possible, you may choose which one to take.
Control the center. Pieces in the center of the board have more mobility and can attack in multiple directions. Avoid clustering your pieces on the edges where their options are limited.
Protect your back row. Keep at least one or two pieces on your back row as long as possible. This prevents your opponent from easily getting Kings, which can shift the game dramatically.
Think ahead. Before every move, consider what your opponent's best response would be. Look 2-3 moves ahead to avoid traps and set up multi-jump captures of your own.
Trade wisely. If you're ahead in pieces, trading one-for-one generally benefits you. If you're behind, avoid even trades and look for double or triple jumps to catch up.
The Forced Capture Trap. Since captures are mandatory, you can deliberately sacrifice a piece in a position that forces your opponent to jump into a losing position, allowing you a devastating double or triple jump on your next turn.
King vs. King endgames. In endgame scenarios with only Kings remaining, focus on cornering your opponent's King. Use the "opposition" technique — position your Kings so they mirror the opponent's, slowly restricting their movement until they run out of legal moves.
The side-slide defense. When under pressure, move pieces along the sides of the board. Side pieces can only be attacked from one direction, making them easier to defend than center pieces in a defensive situation.