Playing better
Checkers shots and tactics
In checkers a tactic is called a shot. Because jumps are forced, you can give up a man on purpose and know exactly where your opponent’s piece will land. Here are twelve shots, from the one you’ll use every game to the ones that win masters’ games.
Short answer
A shot is a forced sequence that wins material, usually by giving up one or more men so that your opponent’s forced jumps line their pieces up for you. The most common is the 2 for 1: give one man, take two. Learn to spot it and you’ll win, and save, a lot of games.
Every board below comes from a Checky lesson. Find the shot yourself, or press Show me.
1. The 2 for 1
Give one man, take two. Jumps are forced, so giving up a man can pull an enemy man into place. Look for two enemy men you could jump in a row.
Take the 2 For 1 lesson in Checky2. The 3 for 2
Give two men, take three. When a 2 for 1 isn’t there, look further. Giving up two men can open a triple jump.
Take the 3 For 2 lesson in Checky3. The fork
A king attacks two men from behind. Men can’t jump backwards, so a king behind them is safe. Attack two at once and one of them falls.
Take the Fork lesson in Checky4. King between two
Two enemy pieces, and only one can escape. With your king between two enemy pieces, your opponent can only save one of them.
Take the King Between Two lesson in Checky5. The in-and-out shot
Crowning ends a turn, and that gives you a free move. A move ends as soon as a man crowns. Let an enemy man jump into your back row, use the free move to set up, and jump it when it has to come back out.
Take the In-and-Out Shot lesson in Checky6. Pulling out a back man
Drag a guard away, then run through. A back man only guards the row while it stays there. Look for a way to force it out, then jump through the gap.
Take the Pulling Out a Back Man lesson in Checky7. The shot to the back row
Give one man, and jump all the way home. Look for shots whose last jump lands on the back row. You win men and get a king with the same move.
Take the Shot to the Back Row lesson in Checky8. The slip
Move one man away, and a different man gets jumped. A man protecting another can move away on purpose. The jump that follows can drag an enemy man out of the way.
Take the The Slip lesson in Checky9. Slip, then triple
One slip sets off three jumps. A slip works best when the man it drags away was blocking a long jump. Trace the line behind it.
Take the Slip, Then Triple lesson in Checky10. The free move
While they have to jump, you can do anything. When your opponent has a jump waiting, they have to take it. That gives you a free move before it happens.
Take the The Free Move lesson in Checky11. The two-stage shot
An enemy man becomes your stepping stone. Some shots come in two stages. Your first gift starts a run of jumps, and the enemy man that lands last is the one your big jump needs.
Take the Two-Stage Shot lesson in Checky12. A shot inside a shot
A swap first, then the real thing. A swap can be the first half of a shot. Don’t stop looking when the jumping stops.
Take the A Shot Inside a Shot lesson in CheckyHow to find shots in your own games
- Look for two enemy pieces you could jump in a row. Then ask what’s in the way, and whether you could force it to move.
- Remember that jumps are forced. Any man you offer has to be taken, so you know where your opponent’s piece will land.
- Follow the jumps to the end. Many shots only show up after the first swap.
- Check your opponent’s shots first. The same ideas work against you.
Checky has 3,732 puzzles from real games, most of them shots like these. Practise them in Checky.
Questions people ask
What is a shot in checkers?
A forced sequence that wins material, usually by giving up men so that your opponent’s forced jumps set up a bigger jump for you.
What is the most common shot in checkers?
The 2 for 1: you give up one man, and the forced jump lets you take two back.
What is the in-and-out shot?
A man that crowns ends its move. You let an enemy man jump into your back row and crown, use the free move to set up, then jump it when it has to come back out.
How do I get better at checkers tactics?
Solve puzzles. Seeing the same shapes again and again is how strong players learn to spot shots in a second.
