Checkers Online: free checkers game for 2 players

Loading game…

Wooden checkers board with black pieces at the top and white pieces at the bottom, with the title Checkers Game in the center.

Checkers Online: free checkers game for 2 players

Q: Do I have to pay to play this checkers game?

No, it's a free checkers game that works in the browser on your computer, tablet or phone, without installing anything.

About Checkers Online

The online checkers bring one of the oldest board games in the world straight to your browser, with no downloads or sign-ups. This free checkers game is played on a board of 8×8 squares with 12 pieces per side, the classic setup that many know as English or American checkers. You can choose between two modes: 1 player, to face the computer, or 2 players, to play a game with a friend or family member on the same computer or tablet, taking turns. If you enjoy calm duels where you think through every move, you'll find many more in our section of online board games.

It's a perfect game for learning the rules as a family: grandparents who used to play on a cardboard board and kids just discovering strategy can share the same screen and match.

How do you play Online Checkers in Checkers Online?

Each player controls one colour and only uses the dark squares of the board. The pieces move diagonally, one square at a time, always towards the opponent's side. To capture, you jump over an opposing piece that is diagonally next to yours and land on the empty square behind it; if after the jump you can capture again, you chain jumps in the same turn. When a piece reaches the opponent's back row it is crowned and becomes a king, which can also move backwards.

Choose the mode: against the computer or 2 players on the same device.
Select one of your pieces and move it to a free diagonal square.
Jump over your opponent's pieces to remove them from the board.
The winner is whoever leaves the opponent with no pieces or no possible moves.

Checkers Online controls

PC

Left mouse click: select a piece and choose the destination square

Mobile and tablet

Tap: tap the piece and then the square you want to move it to

Tips for playing better: Checkers Online

Protect your back row for as long as possible: while you have pieces there, your opponent can't get crowned.
Control the centre of the board. Central pieces have two diagonals to advance on and are harder to trap than those on the edges.
Advance in pairs: a piece backed by another one behind it can't be captured, because there's no free square for the jump.
Count before trading: sometimes sacrificing a piece forces your opponent into a spot where you can make a double capture.

Checkers Online FAQ

Can you play 2-player online checkers on the same computer?

Yes. In two-player mode you both share the same screen and move in turns, so there's no need to create accounts or connect to another game over the network.

Is it the same as online Chinese checkers?

No. Chinese checkers is played on a star-shaped board and the goal is to move your marbles to the opposite point, with no captures. Here you play traditional checkers, where your opponent's pieces are removed.