Checkers variants: Russian, international, giveaway, English
How Brazilian, international, Russian and English checkers differ, what giveaway checkers is, and which variant to try first. One comparison table, then each game in turn.
Brazilian checkers is played on an 8x8 board with 12 pieces each, like Russian checkers, but with the international draughts rules: men capture backward, kings fly across the board, and you must take the capture that removes the most pieces. International draughts uses the same rules on a 10x10 board with 20 pieces each. English draughts (American checkers) is simpler: men never move or capture backward, and kings move one square. Giveaway checkers keeps normal rules but flips the goal, so the first player to lose all pieces wins.
That is the short answer. Below is a table and then each variant in turn, with a plain note on which ones you can play in our online checkers and which are described only for reference. The basics of moving and jumping are in the checkers rules guide.
Comparison at a glance
| Variant | Board | Pieces each | Men capture backward | Kings | Must take the longest capture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russian | 8x8 | 12 | yes | fly any distance | no |
| Brazilian | 8x8 | 12 | yes | fly any distance | yes |
| International | 10x10 | 20 | yes | fly any distance | yes |
| Canadian | 12x12 | 30 | yes | fly any distance | yes |
| English (American) | 8x8 | 12 | no | one square | no |
| Giveaway | 8x8 | 12 | yes | fly any distance | no |
Our game includes all six, plus Towers, Wolf and Sheep, and Corners.
Brazilian checkers
Brazilian checkers is international draughts shrunk to the 8x8 board. White moves first. Men move forward and capture in all four directions, kings are long-range, and when several captures are available you must choose the one that takes the most pieces. One more detail: a man that reaches the far row in the middle of a capture does not crown. It keeps jumping as a man, and becomes a king only if the move ends on the back row. It is a good first step if you know the 8x8 game and want to learn the majority rule without a bigger board.
International draughts
International draughts, also called Polish draughts or 100-square draughts, is played on a 10x10 board with 20 pieces each. It is the version used in world championships. The rules are the same as in Brazilian checkers: backward captures for men, flying kings, a compulsory maximum capture, and no crowning in the middle of a jump. Games are longer and richer, and opening theory is deep. In our game the draw rule is 25 moves each with only kings and no captures.
Canadian checkers
The same rules on a 12x12 board with 30 pieces each. Games get longer and quieter. It is the least common of the big-board variants.
English draughts (American checkers)
Played on 8x8 with 12 pieces each, dark moves first. Men move and capture only forward, and kings step one square at a time in any direction. If a man becomes a king in the middle of a capture, the turn ends there. Capture is compulsory, but you may choose any available capture, not necessarily the longest. With weak kings, English games are cautious and often drawn. A close cousin, pool checkers, mixes in some international features: men capture backward and kings fly. We do not offer pool checkers.
Russian checkers
The 8x8 game with backward captures and flying kings, with no majority rule: you must capture, but may pick any capture. A man that reaches the last row mid-capture becomes a king at once and keeps jumping as a king. White goes first. It is the version our game lists first.
Giveaway checkers (losing checkers)
Giveaway uses Russian rules, including forced captures, but the goal is reversed: you win by getting rid of all your pieces or by being blocked with no legal move. That sounds easy until you remember that captures are compulsory. You cannot simply hand over a piece and walk away, because your opponent can often force you to take pieces back, and a king is a liability since it is harder to give up. Good moves look like blunders: you sacrifice, your opponent must capture, and the capture opens a path for the next sacrifice. It is a great second variant because the moves are already familiar.
Towers
An old column variant. Men move as in Russian checkers, but a captured piece is not removed. It goes under the capturing piece and forms a tower. Towers are captured from the top one piece at a time, and a prisoner can come back to the top. The player whose piece is on top owns the tower. The game feels very different from standard checkers.
Corners
Corners is a race, not a battle. Nine of your pieces fill one corner of the board, nine of your opponent's fill the opposite corner, and the first to occupy the other player's corner wins. There are no captures. In our version a piece steps diagonally to a free adjacent square or jumps over any neighbouring piece, yours or theirs, and may chain several jumps. Home rules vary, and some use straight moves instead, so agree on the rules before you play. Do not confuse it with Chinese checkers, which is a related race game on a six-point star.
Other variants we do not have
- Turkish draughts (dama). 8x8 board, 16 pieces each, moving forward and sideways in straight lines rather than diagonally. A crowned piece moves like a rook.
- Italian draughts. 8x8, kings move one square, men cannot capture kings, and the majority rule applies.
Which variant to start with
- New to checkers: start with English or Russian. They are the simplest to learn, and English has the easiest king.
- Know one set of rules: try giveaway for a twist on the same moves.
- Want more depth: Brazilian first, then international.
- Playing with a child: Corners, then Wolf and Sheep.
There is nothing to install. The variants open in a browser on a phone, tablet or computer. You can play the computer at three levels, share one screen, or play online, and you pick the variant with a tab above the board.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Brazilian and international checkers? Only the board and piece count. Brazilian is 8x8 with 12 pieces, international is 10x10 with 20. The capture rules are the same.
What is the difference between Russian and Brazilian checkers? In Russian checkers you may choose any capture, and a man reaching the last row mid-capture crowns at once. In Brazilian you must take the longest capture, and the man crowns only if its move ends on the last row.
What is giveaway checkers? Checkers where the aim is to lose all your pieces or be blocked. Captures are still compulsory.
Which variant is hardest? International draughts on 10x10 and Canadian checkers on 12x12.
Can I play giveaway against the computer? Yes, in our game giveaway has three computer levels, plus two-player and online modes.
