Draughts can look like one universal game, yet the variant determines which moves are legal. This introduction explains GameFinder.pro’s two local 8×8 settings; the variant guide treats other rule sets separately.
In this guide
Setup and objective
Only the 32 dark squares of the eight-by-eight board are used. Each side begins with twelve men on its three back ranks; the two middle ranks are empty. Our diagrams show the light side below and use coordinates a1 to h8.
You win when the opponent has no pieces or no legal move. A blocked player loses: this is not chess stalemate. The light side starts our local game; official English rules instead give the first move to the dark or red side.
One step or a complete capture sequence
A man moves one square diagonally forward to an empty square. To capture, it jumps an adjacent diagonal opponent and lands on the empty square immediately beyond. You cannot jump your own pieces. In both local settings, ordinary men capture forwards only.
If any capture is available, every quiet move is disallowed. After a jump the same piece must continue while another capture is available. Inspect the complete sequence rather than its first gain. If different complete routes exist, our version does not require the one taking the most pieces.
Position as text
Light c3; Light g3; Dark d4; Dark b8. Light to move.
Kings and the selected setting
A man reaching the far back rank becomes a king. In “American” mode it moves one square in either diagonal direction and jumps adjacent opponents. In “German” mode it slides along clear diagonals and can land on a free square beyond the first opposing piece.
Promotion during a jump ends the sequence in both local modes. The new king can use its backward or flying abilities on a later turn. The label “German” does not mean 10×10 draughts or backward-capturing men.
Position as text
Light b6; Dark c7; Dark e7. Light to move.
Draws and actual features
Our local version declares a draw on the third occurrence of the same position with the same side to move. It also draws after 80 consecutive individual turns without a capture or promotion. A half-move is one side’s turn, not a pair of turns. These are this implementation’s rules, not universal rules for every variant.
Locally you can play the computer or share one device with another person. Remote friends use the separate live edition with a private room. The elapsed-time display is not a countdown tournament clock. Historical or international variants described in these guides are not automatically selectable modes.