Introduction to Checkers (or Draughts) Part 4

Explanation of the four important features of the play, viz: Moving, Capturing, Huffing and Kings.

Moving - The move is made by pushing a man from the square on which he stands to an adjacent unoccupied square of the same color, right or left. The move is always forward—i.e., when Black moves, the man approaches the word "White" (see A, diagram C), and when White moves, the man approaches the word "Black."

Capturing — When a man meets an opponent's man, no further move can be made in that direction, unless there is a vacant square immediately beyond one of the men, in which case he is said to be unguarded. If a man. that meets another is unguarded himself on the move, or If the man that is met is or becomes unguarded after the next move, the player must capture the adverse man, which he does by placing his man on the vacant square immediately beyond (see b, diagram C; it being Black's turn to move), and removing the adverse man from the board. If two or more men are so placed that one vacant square intervenes between each, in a direction that the capturing man can move, he must take all that are en prise at the same time (see c, diagram C; Black to move).

Huffing — If a player neglects to capture when able, the adversary has the option (a) of allowing the move to stand; (b) of requiring the player who moved without capturing to replace the man moved, and to take the man or men en prise; or (c) of huffing, which is done thus. The last move stands good, and the man who could have captured is removed from the board as a penalty for not taking.

A player who huffs also makes a move. Huffing is not a move, or, in technical terms, "huff and move go together." The huff must be made before the move, or the right of huffing is lost; but if the player at his next move again neglects to capture, his adversary has the same option as before.

If a player can capture on more than one square, he may elect which way he will take; if able to capture one man on one square, and more than one on another, he is not obliged to take the larger number. But, if he selects to capture the. larger number, he must take all of that lot which are en prise. Should he overlook any, he is liable to be huffed, or may be compelled to take the remainder. Thus, if in C, diagram c, Black only takes two men, those two are removed from the board (the capture being" so far completed), and Black may be huffed, or may be compelled to capture the third man, or the move may be allowed to stand.

Kings—When a man belonging to either player reaches one of the squares farthest from his own end of the board, whether by moving or capturing he becomes a king. Thus, in diagram C, c, if the black man captures the three white men he becomes a king.

To distinguish kings from men the kings are crowned—i.e., the adversary places another man of the same color on the one that has just become a king.

A king moves and captures in precisely the same way as a man, with the additional privilege that he can do so either forward or backward. Consequently, if after one capture he meets an unguarded piece, he continues the capture in any direction.

An unguarded king can also be captured by a piece, just as in the case of a man. A king is liable to be huffed for not capturing, or the adversary may allow the move to stand, or may compel the king to take, just as in the case of a man. When a man becomes a king his move is finished i. e., if there is a man or king en prise of the new-made king, it cannot be captured until the adversary has made his next move. This rule does not apply to a king already made when he captures, but only to a man that becomes a king on the move.