Checkers and Draughts Terms, Explained
Checkers has a rich vocabulary of its own. Whether you are reading strategy notes, watching a match, or just want to know what a "double corner" is, this glossary gathers the words that matter, each defined in plain language.
The terms below span every variant on the site, from the tactics of the American game to the flying kings of International and Russian draughts. They are listed alphabetically - browse, or use your browser's find to jump straight to a word.
Back rank
The row of squares closest to a player, where their pieces start. Holding pieces on the back rank denies the opponent easy kings.
Breeches
A fork in which a single piece sits between two enemy pieces on the same diagonal, threatening to capture whichever one moves. Also spelled breaches.
Crownhead / king row
The far row a man must reach to be crowned a king. Each player's crownhead is the opponent's back rank.
Dama
The name for draughts across Turkey, the Middle East and much of the Mediterranean; also the name for a king in several languages.
Dog hole
The single square in the double corner from which a piece has almost no safe move. Being forced into the dog hole often loses the game.
Double corner
The corner of the board where a piece has two escape squares. It is the strongest defensive corner and the key to many king endings.
Draughts
The name for checkers used in Britain and most of the world. American English uses checkers; the games are the same family.
Exchange
Trading one piece for one of the opponent's. Even exchanges simplify the board and often help the side that is ahead.
First position
A famous winning king-and-man endgame that every serious player learns. Knowing it turns a slim edge into a win.
Flying king
A king that can slide any number of empty squares along a diagonal and capture from a distance, as in International, Russian and Pool variants.
Forced capture
The rule that if a capture is available you must make one. It is the single most important rule in checkers tactics.
Huff
An obsolete rule under which a player who failed to make an available capture had the offending piece removed. Modern rules simply require the capture instead.
In-and-out shot
A combination that sacrifices a piece to lure an enemy out of position, then wins material or a king by capturing back.
King
A crowned piece that moves and captures both forward and backward. Kings are the strongest pieces on the board.
Man
An uncrowned piece. A man moves and (in most variants) captures forward only until it reaches the crownhead.
Maximum capture
The rule in International, Spanish and several variants that you must take the capture removing the most pieces when you have a choice.
Phalanx
A solid wall of pieces advancing together, hard to break and useful for controlling the centre.
Promotion
The act of a man reaching the king row and being crowned. Timing your promotions is a core part of strategy.
Pyramid
A compact triangular cluster of pieces, a stable defensive shape often kept near the back rank early in the game.
Second position
Another classic won king endgame, harder than first position, in which a player converts a spatial edge into a win.
Shashki
The Russian and Eastern European name for draughts, and specifically the flying-king game played on the 8x8 board.
Shot
A short tactical combination, usually a sacrifice, that wins material or forces a king. The bread and butter of checkers tactics.
Single corner
The corner where a piece has only one escape square, weaker to defend than the double corner.
Stalemate / block
A win by leaving the opponent with no legal move even though they still have pieces on the board.
Standard notation
A numbering of the 32 playable squares from 1 to 32 used to record American checkers games.
Tempo
A single unit of time - one move. Gaining a tempo means making the opponent waste a move relative to you.
The bridge
A defensive back-rank formation that keeps two pieces guarding the two king squares, making it very hard for an enemy man to crown.
The move (opposition)
Control of tempo in the endgame. Having the move means you can force your opponent into a losing square; it decides many close games.
Three-for-one
A combination that gives up one piece to capture three, a decisive swing when it works.
Two-for-one shot
The most common tactic in checkers: sacrifice one piece to set up a double capture that wins two back.