Draughts Game

A child sits across the table, chin in hands, staring at a chequered board. One piece slides forward, then another. The room goes quiet in the way it only does when someone is thinking hard about their next move.

Draughts has held children in exactly this pose for centuries. The rules take minutes to learn; the game itself can take years to master. That combination is why it still sits comfortably among our traditional games alongside chess and backgammon.

A good set should last a childhood. We make ours from FSC-certified timber, and every piece intended for younger players is tested to UKCA and CE safety standards before it reaches a shelf. A board that survives being knocked off the table earns its place at family game night.

What Is a Draughts Game and How Does It Work?

Draughts is a two-player strategy game played on an 8×8 board of 64 squares, alternating between light and dark colours. Each player starts with 12 pieces, placed on the dark squares of the three rows nearest to them.

Pieces move diagonally, one square at a time, onto empty dark squares. You capture an opponent's piece by jumping over it into the empty square beyond. When a piece reaches the far row it is crowned a king, gaining the freedom to move both forwards and backwards.

The aim is simple to state and hard to achieve: capture all your opponent's pieces, or leave them with no legal move. Beneath that simplicity sits real depth. In 2007, computer scientists at the University of Alberta announced that 8×8 draughts had been solved, meaning perfect play by both sides always ends in a draw.

That fact does not spoil the game for the rest of us. No child plays perfectly, and neither do their parents, which is precisely where the fun lives.

There are larger variants too. International draughts, governed by the World Draughts Federation, is played on a 10×10 board with 20 pieces each. For a first set, though, the standard British 8×8 game is the right place to begin. You will find it among our board games.

Why Playing Draughts Is Good for Children's Development

Draughts asks children to think before they act, which is a rarer skill than it sounds. Every move has a consequence, and part of learning the game is discovering that the obvious capture sometimes leads straight into a trap.

This is where planning ahead takes root. A child begins by seeing one move; before long they are seeing two, then three. That habit of looking forwards transfers well beyond the board.

Losing a piece teaches patience. Winning one back teaches composure. Children learn to sit with a difficult position rather than sweeping the board away in frustration, and that emotional steadiness is as valuable as any tactic.

The benefits are not only for the young. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2003 found that playing board games was among the leisure activities associated with a reduced risk of dementia in older adults. A game that grandparents and grandchildren can share on equal terms is a quietly precious thing.

Draughts also builds spatial reasoning, the sense of how pieces relate across a grid. That same reasoning underpins early mathematics, and if your child enjoys patterns you might pair the board with some of the ideas in our post on creative number sense fun maths game.

Perhaps most of all, draughts teaches children to lose well and win graciously. Those lessons arrive gently, wrapped inside a game they actually want to play again.

What Age Can Children Start Playing Draughts?

Most children can begin a simplified game of draughts from around four or five. At that age the goal is not competition but familiarity: learning the diagonal move, understanding the light and dark squares, enjoying the click of a piece finding its place.

By six or seven, most are ready for the full rules, including capturing and kinging. This is the age when the strategy starts to click and a child begins to anticipate your moves rather than simply reacting to their own.

Younger siblings can join long before they grasp the rules. Handling smooth wooden pieces, stacking them, sorting them by colour, is worthwhile play in itself, which is why sturdy sets sit naturally alongside our wooden toys.

Every child arrives at readiness on their own timetable, so let interest lead. If your four-year-old wants to move the pieces around with no regard for the rules, that is a perfectly good start.

Do keep the safety point in mind for the very young. Draughts pieces are small, and children who still explore with their mouths need supervision. Sets aimed at this age within our children toys are tested accordingly.

The lovely quality of draughts is that it grows with the child. The same board that hosted a chaotic first game at five will host a genuinely tense contest at eleven. Few toys stay in service that long.

How to Teach Your Child to Play Draughts at Home

Start with the board, not the rules. Let your child see that the pieces only ever travel on the dark squares, moving diagonally. Once that single idea has settled, everything else follows more easily.

Teach movement before capture. Play a few rounds where the only aim is to reach the far side of the board. This removes the pressure of losing pieces and lets your child grow comfortable with the diagonal path.

Then introduce jumping. Set up a single capture, show it slowly, and let them try it themselves. Children learn a capture far better by making one than by hearing it explained.

Add kinging last. The moment a piece is crowned and can suddenly move backwards is genuinely exciting for a child, so save it as a small reward once the basics are secure.

Resist the urge to win every game. Play a move or two below your best and let the contest stay close. A child who occasionally beats a parent will return to the board eagerly; one who never does will drift away.

A little history can deepen the interest. The game of alquerque, considered a forerunner of draughts, appears in the 13th-century Spanish manuscript the Libro de los juegos, compiled around 1283. Older children often enjoy learning that they are playing something so ancient, and our piece on the history of draughts britains oldest family game is a good companion for a rainy afternoon.

How to Choose a Draughts Set Your Family Will Actually Use

The best draughts set is the one that gets played, and that comes down to a few practical things rather than grandeur. Weight, feel, and durability matter more than decoration.

Look for solid wooden pieces with a little heft. A piece that stays put when nudged makes for a calmer game, and a child soon senses the difference between something well made and something flimsy.

Consider where the game will live. A folding or boxed board that stores its pieces inside is far more likely to survive family life than a loose collection that scatters across the house. Sets that double for both draughts and other games earn their keep.

The World Draughts Federation, founded in 1947, oversees the competitive game, but nobody needs tournament equipment at home. A dependable 8×8 set from our board games will carry a family through years of evenings.

If you enjoy the ritual of a proper board, a piece such as our Luxury Solitaire - Walnut and Glass Solitaire Set shows how a traditional game can become a fixture on the table rather than a toy that vanishes into a cupboard.

Above all, choose something you will reach for. Ideas for building the habit sit in our posts on board games family game night uk and game ideas for family picnic, and the deeper story behind the game in the history of draughts britains most underrated strategy game.

Frequently Asked Questions About Draughts Game

What is a draughts game?

Draughts is a classic two-player strategy board game played on an 8×8 board of 64 squares, alternating between light and dark colours. Each player controls 12 pieces, moving diagonally across dark squares with the aim of capturing all of the opponent's pieces. When a piece reaches the far end of the board, it is crowned a king and gains enhanced movement. Jaques of London has manufactured draughts sets since the 19th century, making it one of Britain's most enduring traditional board games.

How do you play draughts for beginners?

To play draughts, each player places 12 pieces on the dark squares of the three rows nearest to them. Players take turns moving one piece diagonally forward by one square. If an opponent's piece is adjacent and the square beyond it is empty, you must jump over and capture it, removing it from the board. Capturing multiple pieces in one turn is allowed. The player who captures all their opponent's pieces, or leaves them unable to move, wins the game.

What age is draughts suitable for?

Draughts is generally considered suitable for children aged 5 and upwards, though many children take to it most confidently from around age 6 or 7, when sequential thinking becomes more natural. The rules are straightforward enough for young players to grasp quickly, whilst the strategic depth keeps older children and adults fully engaged. Draughts is an excellent multi-generational game, equally enjoyable for grandparents and grandchildren playing together at a family table.

Is draughts good for children's brain development?

Draughts encourages logical thinking, forward planning, concentration, and decision-making, all of which support cognitive development in children. Players must anticipate their opponent's moves and think several steps ahead, practising skills that translate well to academic learning. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2003) by Verghese et al. found that playing board games was associated with a reduced risk of dementia in older adults, suggesting meaningful long-term cognitive benefits from regular board game play across all ages.

What is the difference between draughts and checkers?

Draughts and checkers refer to the same game — 'draughts' is the British term and 'checkers' is used in North America. Both are played on an 8×8 board with 12 pieces per player, following identical rules. However, it is worth noting that international draughts, governed by the Fédération Mondiale du Jeu de Dames (founded 1947), is played on a larger 10×10 board with 20 pieces per player — a distinct variant popular in continental Europe and beyond.

How many pieces do you need to play draughts?

A standard game of draughts requires 24 pieces in total — 12 for each player, traditionally in contrasting colours such as red and white or black and white. At the start of the game, each player's 12 pieces are arranged on the dark squares of the three rows closest to them on an 8×8 board. In international draughts, played on a 10×10 board, each player uses 20 pieces, making 40 pieces altogether.

Can a 5 year old learn to play draughts?

Yes, many 5-year-olds can learn the basics of draughts, particularly the movement and capturing rules, with a little adult guidance. At this age, the focus is best kept on enjoying the game rather than deep strategy. Simple, tactile pieces and a quality board — such as those made by Jaques of London — help younger children engage confidently. Starting with informal games that gently introduce the rules, without strict rule enforcement, often works best for this age group.

What are the basic rules of draughts?

Each player has 12 pieces placed on the dark squares of the three nearest rows on an 8×8 board. Pieces move diagonally forward one square at a time. If an opponent's piece is diagonally adjacent and the square beyond is empty, you must capture it by jumping over it. Multiple captures in a single turn are permitted. A piece reaching the opponent's back row becomes a king, able to move diagonally forward and backward. The player who captures all opposing pieces or leaves them unable to move wins.

How do you king a piece in draughts?

A piece is kinged when it reaches the far end of the board — the row on the opponent's side. The piece is crowned, traditionally by placing a captured piece on top of it or using a double-sided piece. A king can move diagonally both forwards and backwards, giving it significantly greater freedom and strategic power than an ordinary piece. The opponent's turn is not skipped during the crowning process; play continues as normal after the king is made.

What is the best draughts set to buy for a family?

For a family, the ideal draughts set combines durability, clear piece contrast, and a well-made board that lays flat and stays stable during play. Jaques of London has been crafting traditional board games since 1795, producing draughts sets built to last across generations. Look for sets with weighted or solid turned pieces in distinct contrasting colours, and a folding or boxed board for easy storage. A quality set becomes a long-term fixture in family life, improving with every game played.