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English checkers · Basics

Board and dark squares

English checkers is played on an 8 by 8 board, but pieces use only the dark diagonal squares.

4 min · 3 steps

This is the written edition of an interactive Boardgammon lesson — in the app, the coach narrates while you play every move on a live board.

Step 1 · English checkers board

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English checkers is played on an 8 by 8 board, but pieces use only the dark diagonal squares.

Coach narration

Step 2 · Playable squares

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On the board: Dark

Which squares can a checker occupy and move through?

Choose the playable squares.

Quick check

  • Dark diagonal squares only
  • All 64 squares
  • Only edge squares
Show the correct answer

Correct answer: Dark diagonal squares only — Correct. Light squares are never playable.

  • All 64 squares — Only half the board is used: the dark squares.
  • Only edge squares — Edges matter sometimes, but all dark squares can play.

Coach narration

Step 3 · Move on dark squares

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On the board: Dark to dark

Now play the highlighted opening move. Notice that the piece starts on a dark square and lands on another dark square.

Tap the checker marked Start, then tap the dark square marked Land here.

The move: 9-13

Good. The whole move stayed on playable dark squares.

Common mistake: Use the highlighted dark piece and land on the highlighted dark square.

Coach narration

What you learned

You can now identify playable dark squares and make a first legal move on them.

Coach narration