Russian Checkers (Shashki) is one of the most popular draughts variants in Eastern Europe. It differs from international draughts in several important ways that make the game more dynamic.
Key Differences from Standard Checkers
Backward captures: Regular pieces can capture in any direction — forward and backward — not just forward like in English draughts.
Flying kings: Kings (Damas) can move any number of squares diagonally, like a bishop in chess.
Mandatory captures: Like standard checkers, captures are mandatory when available.
Capture promotion: A piece that reaches the last row during a capture sequence and can continue capturing does so as a king immediately.
Strategy Notes
The ability to capture backward makes Russian Checkers more tactically explosive. Kings are extremely powerful due to long diagonal movement. Control of the long diagonals is even more critical than in English draughts.
Play Checkers Free on BoardGame Battles
- Real-time online multiplayer — play against people worldwide
- 3 AI difficulty levels (Easy, Medium, Hard)
- Global leaderboards and weekly rankings
- Works on desktop and mobile — no download needed
- 100% free forever
▶ Play Checkers Now — Free