5 ways to win quickly at International Draughts!

International Draughts (Checkers) allows you to demonstrate your skills more than American Checkers. Also, it is the most prestigious version among the checkers family. To win an International Draughts game, you must utilize rules such as: backward capturing, majority capturing, and a flying king.

#1 Use capturing backward

In international draughts, capturing backward is possible (unlike in American checkers). Use this rule to carry out shots and combinations.

Let's look at the following example to illustrate the advantages of this principle.

Step 1: White will sacrifice a piece

Step 2: It doesn't matter which piece black is beating with. In each variant, white is capturing 4 pieces to the king

Step 3: Now you can see that white is capturing backward (this rule doesn’t apply in American Checkers)

White captured 4 pieces to the king and easily won the game.

#2 “Majority capture” rule

The "majority" rule is certainly one of the most important. Thanks to it, you can create beautiful shots and force the opponent in which direction to beat your pawns.

In the following position, it looks as if white were in trouble and were about to lose the game. Nothing could be further from the truth. White set a trap into which the black pieces were caught!

Step 1: Try to find a move for white, where black has to capture the majority

Step 2: 37-31! This move is leading us to victory!

Step 3: Black cannot capture 2 pieces to the king (marked with red). It is forced to capture 3 pieces backward (marked with green).

Step 4: White is beating all black pieces

#3 Use your king to capture more pieces

Keep in mind that the king in international draughts is omnipotent and can take down a lot of pawns at the same time. 

It can capture and move any number of squares diagonally. Therefore, it is tough to stop the king, and it's worth making an effort to get it!

Have a look at the example below; despite black's large material advantage, white wins thanks to the king!

Step 1: Try to find a move that will allow you to remove all your opponent's pawns

Step 2: Here it is! We’re playing 34 to 45

Step 3: Black is forced to capture 1 piece, and white is beating all opponent’s pieces

Note: It was the only way to capture all the pieces! Sometimes this is even more challenging to find!

#4 Use your king to cut off your opponent’s pieces

It's hard to assess how meaningful the strength of a king is compared to that of a pawn. It is said to be equivalent to the strength of 3 pawns. Hence it is usually (not always!) better to have, for example, a king and 2 pawns than 6 pawns.

Let's return to our title rule and the position on the diagram!

Step 1: Try to find a move that will cut off all the black pieces

Step 2: 26-12! And all black pieces are cut off

Step 3: Black sacrifices 2 pieces and tries to promote a pawn to a king. However, black is still slower than the white king

Step 4: The white king cuts off the way of the last black piece playing to 39 and then to 50

Such a cut-off of pawns can occur in various configurations and in different places on the board.

#5 Use your opponent’s king!

This rule may sound a bit strange, but if you already know that majority capturing is mandatory and that the king captures all the way down the diagonal, why not use these rules to your own advantage?

We can bet that few people will consider a move in which you let your opponent in on the king! Let's see an example.

Step 1: We sacrifice two pawns, thereby allowing the opponent to make a king

Step 2: Black was forced to capture 2 pieces, and it got a king

Step 3: Now it's time for another surprise! White offers another piece and enables black to have a second king

Step 4: Even though black has 2 kings, it is in a losing position. White sacrifices another piece

Step 5: Both kings are performing a double capturing

Step 6: White is capturing 2 pieces to the king and easily winning against 3 single black pawns

This may indeed have been surprising to you, but on the other hand impressive at the same time! Who wouldn't want to win a game of checkers this way?

As you have seen, many methods exist to win a game of international checkers. We hope our tips will bring you closer to victory! Are you ready to perform them all in your daily practice? We are convinced you are, and we are keeping our fingers crossed!