Objective of the Game
The objective of Russian Checkers is to capture all opposing pieces or to block your opponent so they have no legal moves left.
Game Material
Russian Checkers uses a standard checkerboard with 64 squares, divided into an 8x8 grid. Each player begins with 12 pieces; one player has white pieces, the other has black pieces.
Setup
- The 12 pieces of each player are placed on the dark squares of the first three rows on their side.
- The bottom-left square of each player's side should be a dark square.
Basic Rules
- Game Start: White moves first.
- Moving Pieces: Pieces always move diagonally forward. An un-crowned piece (known as a "man") can only move one square diagonally forward.
- Capturing Pieces: A diagonal leap over an opponent's piece onto a free square behind it captures that piece. Capturing is compulsory; this means if capturing is possible, it must be done, and the option with the maximum number of captures must be taken. If multiple ways to achieve the same number of captured pieces are possible, the player may choose.
- Kings: A man reaching the opponent's back row is crowned and becomes a "king." A king can move diagonally any number of squares forward or backward. A king is typically marked by adding an additional marker, like turning the piece over, to show its special status.
- End of the Game: The game ends when one player has no pieces remaining or cannot make a legal move. The other player is then declared the winner.
Strategic Tips
- Positioning: Try to keep your pieces in a formation that makes it difficult for the opponent to capture them.
- Sacrifice Moves: Sometimes deliberately losing a piece can lead to a better positioning or more capture opportunities later on.
- Control the Center: Controlling the center of the board allows for stronger offensive or defensive moves.
- Utilizing Kings: Once you have a king, use its flexibility to increase pressure on the opponents and maintain multiple capture options.
