Play International Draughts Online Free

About International Draughts

International draughts — also called Polish draughts — is the world-championship form of the game: a 10×10 board, twenty men a side, and kings that fly along long diagonals. Men capture backward as well as forward, and when several jump sequences exist you must take the one that captures the most pieces.

This board enforces those FMJD-style rules for you: maximum captures, flying kings, multi-jump chains, and promotion only at the end of a turn. Play four AI levels, pass-and-play on one screen, or open an online room and share an invite link — no account required.

How to play International Draughts

Each side starts with 20 men on the dark squares of a 10×10 board. Black moves first. Leave your opponent with no legal move to win.

1. Men move one square diagonally forward onto an empty dark square.
2. Men capture by jumping an adjacent enemy piece in any diagonal direction — including backward — onto the empty square beyond.
3. Kings fly: they slide any number of empty diagonal squares, and capture by jumping over an enemy piece with empty landing squares beyond it.
4. If more than one capture sequence is available, you must choose one that takes the maximum number of pieces (ties prefer capturing more kings).
5. A man that finishes its turn on the last rank is crowned a flying king. You win when the opponent has no legal move.

International Draughts strategy tips

• Count capture lengths before you jump — a tempting short take can lose to a longer forced reply.
• Flying kings dominate open boards; crown early when the center clears.
• Keep a solid back-rank early so enemy men cannot crown for free.
• Use backward captures with men to reset a piece onto a better diagonal after a jump.
• In endings with few pieces, centralize your king so it controls both long diagonals.

International Draughts FAQ

How is this different from English checkers on this site?

English checkers here is 8×8 with short kings and forward-only man captures. International draughts is 10×10 with flying kings, men that capture backward, and a mandatory maximum-capture rule — a different game with different tactics.

Must I always take the longest capture?

Yes. When several jump sequences exist, the board only offers moves that capture the most pieces. If two sequences capture the same number, the one that takes more kings is preferred.

Do kings fly across empty squares?

Yes. A king may slide any distance along a clear diagonal, and when capturing it may land on any empty square beyond the jumped piece before choosing the next jump in a chain.

Can I play international draughts online with a friend?

Yes. Open Play with a friend, create a room, and share the invite link. The server validates every jump and maximum-capture choice so both browsers stay in sync — no sign-up needed.

When does a man become a king?

Only when a man finishes its turn on the opposite back rank. If it lands there mid-capture and can still jump, it continues as a man until the sequence ends; then it promotes if it stays on that rank.

Games like International Draughts

CheckersThe 8×8 English cousin with short kings.Chinese CheckersHop races on a star instead of capturing jumps.ChessRicher piece types on a familiar dark-square geometry.