International draughts · Variants

International flying kings

International kings are flying kings. They move and capture along open diagonals, not just one square at a time.

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 · Kings fly diagonally

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On the board: Flying line

International kings are flying kings. They move and capture along open diagonals, not just one square at a time.

Coach narration

Step 2 · How far can it land?

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The light king jumps over one dark piece. Where may a flying king land?

Choose the flying-king rule.

Quick check

  • Any open square beyond the captured piece
  • Only the first square directly behind the captured piece
  • In straight lines up and down the board
Show the correct answer

Correct answer: Any open square beyond the captured piece — Correct. International kings can fly to distant open landings.

  • Only the first square directly behind the captured piece — That is short-king thinking. International kings fly.
  • In straight lines up and down the board — Straight-line movement belongs to Dama. International draughts still uses diagonals.

Coach narration

Step 3 · Fly through the capture

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On the board: Fly

Make the long king capture. In a real game any open square beyond the man is legal. For this drill, land on the highlighted square farther down the diagonal.

Tap the king, then tap the far highlighted landing square on the diagonal.

The move: 46x23

Flying king capture.

Common mistake: That square can be legal in a real game, but for this drill land on the highlighted far square beyond the captured piece.

Coach narration

What you learned

You can now recognize International flying kings and land them beyond the captured piece.

Coach narration