Playing better
Checkers strategy: how to win more games
Most games between beginners are lost, not won: someone leaves a man where it can be jumped. So the first half of good strategy is staying safe, and the second is having a plan. Here are twelve tips, each with a board to try.
Short answer
To win more checkers games: check every move for jumps before you make it, keep your men backed up, head for the centre, guard your back row with two men, swap men off when you’re ahead, and keep spare moves in hand for the endgame.
The first two tips keep you from losing men. The rest are about where your men should go, and what to aim for.
1. Look before you step
Before every move, ask whether your man can be jumped on the square it’s going to.
Take the Look Before You Step lesson in Checky2. Keep your men backed up
A man can’t be jumped if the square behind it is full, so keep your men close enough to protect each other.
Take the Back Up Your Men lesson in Checky3. Head for the centre
Head for the centre when you can. A man on the side is safe but has less to do, so go there for a reason, not just to hide.
Take the Why the Centre Matters lesson in Checky4. Use your single-corner men first
Develop your single-corner men early. Keep as much strength as you can in your double corner.
Take the The Two Corners lesson in Checky5. Guard your back row with two men
Keeping all four back men is a mistake. Two in the right places can guard the whole row.
Take the Guarding Your Back Row lesson in Checky6. Don’t run to the side to hide
A man on the side can’t be jumped, but moving it there takes it out of the fight, and can leave a hole behind it.
Take the Running to the Side lesson in Checky7. Move the right back man
Before you move a back man, check what it was guarding. The wrong one can cost you a man several moves later.
Take the The Wrong Back Man lesson in Checky8. Swap men off when you’re ahead
When you’re a man up, swap men off. Three against two is good, and two against one is better.
Take the Swap When You’re Ahead lesson in Checky9. Swap off a man that cramps you
A forward man with no support can be swapped off. It often costs your opponent more than it costs you.
Take the Swap Off a Forward Man lesson in Checky10. Keep spare moves at the back
Count your safe moves and your opponent’s. A spare move at the back can decide a whole game.
Take the Spare Moves at the Back lesson in Checky11. Stay out of the dog hole
Think twice before stepping into the dog hole early in a game.
Take the The Dog Hole lesson in Checky12. Don’t leave your breakthrough too late
Late in the game, don’t leave men behind, and break up the back row while there’s still time. One move late is too late.
Take the Breaking Through lesson in CheckyPut it into practice
Strategy sticks when you use it. Play a bot just above your level, then look at the review: it shows the moments that decided the game. Play a bot in Checky, or take the Strategy lessons.
Questions people ask
What is the best strategy in checkers?
Stay safe first: never leave a man where it can be jumped, and look for your opponent’s shots. Then take the centre, keep your back row guarded, and swap off when you’re ahead.
Should you keep your back row in checkers?
Not all of it. Keeping all four back men costs you moves. Two men in the right places can guard the whole row.
Is it good to trade pieces in checkers?
When you’re ahead, yes. The fewer men on the board, the more an extra one counts. When you’re behind, avoid even swaps.
What is the dog hole in checkers?
Square 28 for Ink, or 5 for Pink: a corner square where a man gets stuck. An Ink man on 28 can’t move while Pink keeps a man on 32. Think twice before going there early in the game.
