Checkers is the oldest game known back in Babylon. Currently, there are many types of this game, they are very similar. Usually two players participate with special chips, which are called checkers. The board for the game is similar to a chessboard, but it can have different sizes.
The origin of checkers
According to one of the legends, checkers were invented by the Greek warrior Palamed, who participated in the siege of Troy. The siege lasted 10 years, and to kill the boredom, this addicting game was invented.
The checkers board was recovered from the tomb of Tutankhamun. It had thirty cells. This gave rise to a version about the ancient Egyptian origin of checkers.
Archaeologists also claim that as a result of excavations, checkers were found on the territory of Kievan Rus, Norway, Sweden, Iceland.
Historians associate the appearance of checkers in Russia with the name of Prince Vladimir Monomakh.
As historical facts show, chess has long been known in many countries.
Checkers around the world
Russian checkers. A standard eight-by-eight chessboard is used. Each player has twelve checkers. The game is played on black cells. At the beginning of the game, each player's checkers are located on the first three horizontal rows.
A checker can move forward diagonally, occupying only an empty square. A checker can beat an opponent's checker or king - jump over it and go not to one field, but to two. The opponent's checker is removed from the board. If it is possible to beat another opponent's checker from the new position of the striking checker, the move continues. The move will end only if the checker reaches the field from which the battle is impossible.
The player is obliged to beat the opponent's checker, if he has such an opportunity. If there are several options, the player has the right to choose any. You cannot skip a move.
A checker that reaches the horizontal field farthest from the player becomes a king. You can use a king to move to any number of fields and beat the opponent's checkers along the entire diagonal.
In one move, the same checker can be beaten only once - the rule of the Turkish strike.
English checkers. Similar to Russians. The difference lies in the fact that a checker cannot hit backward, and the king moves backward or forward only one square and hits only through one square in any direction.
Armenian checkers. Checkers do not move along the diagonals, but along the vertical and horizontal lines. A simple checker cannot kick back.
International checkers. A ten by ten board is used. Each player has twenty checkers. The principle of the game is the same as in Russian checkers. There is also a Turkish strike rule. They differ from the Russians in that a simple checker can become a king only if it ends the battle on the last field. If she hits several checkers, passing through the last field, then it remains a simple checker. If there are several options to beat the opponent's checkers, the option is chosen that allows you to beat the maximum number of them.
Brazilian checkers. They are similar to international ones, only the game is played on a board of eight by eight cells, with twelve checkers for each opponent.
Canadian checkers. Also similar to international ones. A board is used twelve by twelve, each opponent has twenty-four checkers.
Spanish checkers. Similar to Brazilian, only the checkers are located on white squares, and the board is rotated 90 degrees. Simple checkers cannot hit backwards.
Other types of checkers
Giveaway. The game is similar to Russian or international checkers, but the goal of the game is the opposite - to succumb, to put your checkers under the battle.
Column checkers - one of the variants of the old Russian checkers. The beaten checker of the opponent is not removed from the field, but is placed under the checker that beaten it.
Stavropol checkers - a variant of Russian checkers, in which the player can make a move for the opponent.
Samoyed checkers. They differ from the Russians in that each of the opponents can and must hit both strangers and his own checkers.
