International draughts · Variants

International promotion

A man becomes a king when it reaches the far row. In International draughts, that king will be a flying king on later turns.

4 min · 4 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 · Crown on the far row

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On the board: Crown row

A man becomes a king when it reaches the far row. In International draughts, that king will be a flying king on later turns.

Coach narration

Step 2 · What comes next?

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On the board: Promotion square

The light man can step into the far row. What will it become?

Choose the promotion result.

Quick check

  • A flying king for later turns
  • It leaves the board like a bear-off
  • It stays a normal man forever
Show the correct answer

Correct answer: A flying king for later turns — Correct. The next time it moves as a king, it can fly diagonally.

  • It leaves the board like a bear-off — Draughts pieces do not bear off. They crown and keep playing.
  • It stays a normal man forever — The far row crowns the piece.

Coach narration

Step 3 · Crown the man

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On the board: Crown

Move the man to the far row. The board marks the promotion.

Tap the light man, then tap the highlighted square on the far row.

The move: 7-1

Crowned.

Common mistake: Move into the highlighted far-row square to crown the piece.

Coach narration

Step 4 · A flying king is born

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The man is now a king. From its next turn it can fly along an open diagonal in any direction, forward or backward.

Coach narration

What you learned

You now know the International essentials: a 10 by 10 board, backward captures, maximum capture, flying kings, and crowning.

Coach narration