checkers
Checkers (noun) means a board game for two players who try to capture all of the opponent's pieces by jumping over them. Example: “They played checkers on the porch every summer evening.”
How to Use Checkers
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe classic board game played on a chessboard with round pieces, known as "draughts" in British English.
Called "draughts" in the UK, "checkers" in the US.
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
They played _____ on the porch every summer evening.
Synonyms
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does “checkers” mean?
The word “checkers” means a board game for two players who try to capture all of the opponent's pieces by jumping over them. In plain terms, the classic board game played on a chessboard with round pieces, known as "draughts" in British English.
How do you use “checkers” in a sentence?
Here is “checkers” used in a sentence: “They played checkers on the porch every summer evening.”
What part of speech is “checkers”?
“Checkers” is a noun.
What is the difference between checkers and draughts?
Checkers and draughts are the same board game — "checkers" is the American English name and "draughts" is the British English name. The rules, board and pieces are identical.
How many pieces does each player start with in checkers?
Each player starts with 12 pieces, set up on the dark squares of the three rows closest to them on an 8×8 board.
What is the difference between checkers and chess?
Checkers is played with identical round pieces that all move and capture the same way (diagonally, jumping over opponents), while chess uses six different piece types with distinct moves. Checkers has simpler rules but deep strategy in its own right.
Can you play checkers online?
Yes — sites like Checker Games let you play checkers against the computer or another player for free in your browser.
Further Reading
Play checkers (draughts) online for free, against the computer or another player.