Play Checkers (Draughts) Online with Friends
Jump and capture across the diagonals. Play Checkers free in your browser — challenge friends in real time or take on the computer. No download, no install. Jump in as a guest or sign up free in seconds.
How to play Checkers
- Move your pieces one square diagonally forward.
- Jump over an adjacent opponent piece to capture it — multiple jumps can chain in a single turn, and captures are mandatory.
- Reach the far row to crown a King, which can move and capture both forward and backward.
- Win by capturing all of your opponent’s pieces or leaving them with no legal move.
Play Checkers your way
- Invite a friend and play together in real time, or match against a computer opponent.
- Adjustable computer difficulty — Easy, Medium, or Hard — so every game stays a challenge.
- Works on phone, tablet, and desktop, right in the browser. Nothing to install.
- Free to play. Start instantly as a guest, or create a free account to keep your stats and friends.
Checkers — frequently asked questions
Is checkers the same as draughts?
They're the same game — “draughts” is the common name in the UK and much of the world. Piece Pals uses standard 8×8 rules with mandatory captures and crowned kings.
Are captures mandatory in checkers?
Yes. If you can jump an opponent's piece you must, and multiple jumps chain together in a single turn — so look for combinations before you move.
Can I play checkers against the computer?
Yes. Play a friend in real time or take on a computer opponent at Easy, Medium, or Hard difficulty.
Is Piece Pals checkers free and browser-based?
Yes — checkers is free with no download. Play instantly in any browser as a guest, or sign up free to save your stats.