This is a splendid game and one very easily learned. It is played upon
a special board with thirty-two white and thirty-two black squares.
Two persons play at the game, who sit opposite to each other. The
players have each a set of twelve pieces, or "men," the color of the
sets being different, so that the players can distinguish their
own men easily. The men are round and flat, and are usually made of
boxwood or ebony and ivory, one set being white and the other black.
Before placing the men upon the board, it must be decided whether the
white or the black squares are to be played on, as the whole must be
put on one color only. If the white squares are selected, there must
be a black square in the right-hand corner; if the black squares are
to be played upon, then the right-hand corner square must be a white
one.
The movements in checkers are very simple; a man can be moved only one
square at a time, except as explained hereafter, and that diagonally,
never straight forward or sideways. If an opponent's man stand in the
way, no move can take place unless there be a vacant square beyond it,
into which the man can be lifted. In this case the man leaped over is
"taken" and removed from the board.
The great object of the game, then, is to clear the board of the
opponent's men, or to hem them in in such a way that they cannot be
moved, whichever player hems in the opponent or clears the board
first gains the victory. As no man can be moved more than one step
diagonally at a time (except when taking opponent's pieces), there can
be no taking until the two parties come to close quarters; therefore,
the pushing of the men continuously into each other's ground is the
principle of the game.
In beginning the game, a great advantage can be obtained by having the
first move; the rule, therefore, is, if several games are played, that
the first move be taken alternately by the players.
When either of the players has, with his men, reached the extreme row
of squares on the opposite side (the first row of his opponent), those
men are entitled to be crowned, which is done by placing on the top of
each another man, which may be selected from the men already removed
from the board. The men so crowned are called "Kings" and have a new
power of movement, as the player may now move them either backward or
forward, as he wills, but always diagonally as before.
The Kings having this double power of movement, it is an important
point for a player to get as many men crowned as possible. If each
player should be fortunate enough to get two or three Kings, the game
becomes very exciting. Immediately after crowning, it is well for a
player to start blocking up his opponent's men, so as to allow more
freedom for his own pieces, and thus prepare for winning the game.
It is the rule that if a player touch one of his men he must play it.
If player A omit to take a man when it is in his power to do so, his
opponent B can huff him; that is, take the man of the player A off the
board. If it is to B's advantage, he may insist on his own man being
taken, which is called a "blow." The usual way is to take the man of
the player A who made the omission, and who was huffed, off the board.
It is not considered right or fair for any one watching the game to
advise what move to be made, or for a player to wait longer than five
minutes between each move.
Great care should be taken in moving the men, as one false move may at
any time endanger the whole game.
With constant practice any one can soon become a very fair player, but
even after the game has been played only a few times it will be found
very interesting.
* * * * *