One game of checkers is worth all the frivolity of chess
- Edgar Allan Poe

Checkers, along with chess, is a game of ancient origins. And, as computer chess, computer checkers is also a fascinating issue.

8x8 board is the checkers game played mostly in Great Britain (where it is called draughts), USA, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and a few other countries. The most popular version of checkers, however, is played on a 10x10 board in Eastern Europe. In the USA, that game is sometimes called Polish Checkers. Elsewhere, it is called International Checkers. There are other 8x8 varieties played in Spain and Italy and elsewhere.

Checkers is played by two persons who face each other across a board of 64, or 100, squares alternately light and dark. Play is conducted only on the dark squares.

Each contestant begins with twelve playing chess, also called men, of one color. Whatever the opposing colors may in fact be, they are referred to as white and black. The pieces, disks about 2.5 cm (1 in.) in diameter and slightly less than half as thick, are placed on the dark squares in the three horizontal rows nearest each player.

To win, a player must capture all the opponent's men or block them so that no further movement is possible. Black moves first; after that, the players move alternately. A noncapturing move consists of advancing a man diagonally forward to an adjacent unoccupied square. In a capturing move, a checker is jumped over an opponent's man diagonally adjacent and lands on a vacant square behind that man (in the direction of the intended move). The captured enemy piece is removed from the board. In this manner, one man may capture two or more opposing men in a series of consecutive jumps in any single turn. Multiple captures may be made by jumping diagonally left or right after the initial jump. Capturing is compulsory.

When a player's checker reaches any square in the row nearest his opponent, the opponent crowns that piece, making it a king. This is done by placing a second checker of the same color, or a suitable substitute, atop the single man. Although a single man may more forward only, a king may move, and capture, backward as well as forward.

When the game is down to few men of equal number for both opponents, and neither side is able to gain a clear advantage, a draw is declared, especially in tournament play. If one player rejects this decision, that player must establish a decided advantage within 40 moves, or the game is officially a draw.

Although its rules are simple, the game of checkers requires far-sighted planning of moves. The widespread development of checker leagues and of national and international championship tournaments belies the notion that little skill is required.

There are two main styles of checkers played in tournaments, Go-as- you-please, sometimes called freestyle or unrestricted and 3-Move-Restriction. In go-as-you-please, you can make any opening moves that you want. In 3-Move, the first three moves (black, white, black) are chosen at random from a list of accepted 3-Move openings. The list contains no openings that are known losses. 3-Move is more popular in serious tournaments and matches, as it decreases the number of draws. After playing a game with one of the 3-Move openings, you play a second game with the same opening, but from the other side of the board, to even out the disadvantage of having to play a weak opening. There are world championship matches in both styles, although the 3-Move world championship is the more prestigious.

The earliest modern book on checkers was written by Antonio Torquemada and published in Valencia, Spain, in 1547. Peter Mallet, a professor of mathematics, made the first scientific study. Published as a manual in 1668, it maintained that checkers was played throughout the world and was probably as old as chess.

The most important early contribution to play was the publication in 1756 of the Guide to the Game of Draughts, by William Payne, a mathematician, in which there were explained 50 games and 14 critical positions. This was joined as a standard English guide to the game by the treatise written by Joshua Sturges and published in 1800. The 14 problems are still studied today as knowledge of how to play them is necessary. Sturges' work was followed by others by Hay, Sinclair, and large compilations by John Drummond and Andrew Anderson. These works were analyzed games from beginning to end, attesting to their analytical skills. Many of the lines laid down by these pioneers are still today faithfully followed.

The first World Championship match was won by Andrew Anderson (Scotland) over James Wyllie (also Scottish) in 1847. The style of play was go-as-you-please. The first 10x10 squares checkers tournament, instead, was held in 1893 in Paris.

About the end of the 19th century, 2-move restriction came into being, in order to cut down the number of draws. In this style of play, the first two moves of the game were chosen at random. Six of the 2-Move openings were barred as being too one-sided. Two of them lose a piece outright.

In 1905 a team match, the First International Match (there had been matches between England and Scotland), was played between Great Britain and the USA. Great Britain won easily.
In 1927, instead, the USA easily defeated Great Britain in the Second International Match.

Since a game between Banks and Asa Long was held in 1934, 3-Move restrinctions were adopted; however, England still condidered 2-Move the accepted style of play; they had their own World Champions and tournaments. Only by the 60's Great Britain began accepting 3-Move.

Dr. Marion F. Tinsley (1927-1995) is recognized by all his peers as the greatest player of all time. He lost less than ten games since the 2nd World War. He won six National Tournaments, all without losing a game.
Asa Long (1904- ) is instead thought to be the second or third best player of all time. Asa won the National Tournament in 1922 at the age of 18, to become the youngest player to ever do so. In 1980 he won it again at the age of 76, to become the oldest to ever do so. In 1984 he won it again for the 6th time in his fabulous career. Asa is now retired. He reigned as World Champion from 1934 to 1948.