How Many Squares on a Draughts Board? | Jaques of London
Pull a draughts board from the cupboard and the first thing you notice is the pattern of light and dark squares. The second, if you are about to teach a child, is a question you may not be able to answer: how many squares are there, and why does half the board sit empty for the whole game?
It is a fair question, and the answer shapes everything about how draughts is played. The game is far older than most of the toys around it, and the humble chequered grid hides a surprising amount of logic.
Every draughts set in our board games range is tested to UKCA and CE safety standards, so a beginner's first board is one you can hand to a five-year-old without a second thought.
What You Need to Set Up a Game of Draughts
You need remarkably little to begin. A board, two sets of pieces in contrasting colours, and someone to play against. That is the whole list.
A standard board carries twelve pieces per player, so twenty-four in all. The pieces are flat, round counters, traditionally one dark and one light set, which stack neatly when a piece is crowned later in the game.
For a first set, something compact and self-contained saves a good deal of fuss. Our Folding Draughts Set - 12" Board & Pieces folds away with the counters stored inside, which matters when the game is being learned at a kitchen table between other things.
Draughts sits within a wider family of classic games. If you are building a small shelf of staples, our traditional games collection gathers the ones that have earned their keep over generations, and our wooden toys range sits alongside them for younger hands.
Jaques of London, established in 1795, is widely cited as the world's oldest surviving sports and games manufacturer, and draughts has been part of that story throughout.
Once the board is in front of you, setting up correctly is the only step that trips beginners. Our guide on how to set up a draughts board walks through it row by row, so no piece ends up on the wrong colour.
How Many Squares Are on a Draughts Board and Which Ones Actually Count
A standard draughts board is an 8×8 grid, which gives 64 squares in total. That is the headline number, and it is the same grid used for chess.
Here is the part that surprises people. In English draughts, also called British draughts, play takes place only on the 32 dark squares. The 32 light squares are never used at all.
This is why every move in draughts is diagonal. A piece that only ever lands on dark squares can only travel diagonally, because moving straight forward would put it on a light square it is not allowed to occupy.
So the useful answer to how many squares are on a draughts board depends on what you are counting. Sixty-four squares make up the board; thirty-two of them actually matter.
That smaller number of 32 playable squares is what gives the game its particular feel. Space is tighter than it looks, pieces crowd each other quickly, and there is less room to retreat than a beginner expects.
It also explains why orientation matters when you set up. Each player should have a dark square at the near-left corner, which keeps the diagonals running correctly for both sides.
If you are choosing a board to learn on, a clear contrast between the two square colours helps enormously. A muddy board where dark and light blur together makes those 32 squares harder to read. It is a small detail, but one worth checking across our board games before you settle on a set.
How to Play Draughts: the Rules Every Beginner Needs to Know
Each player begins with 12 pieces, arranged on the 12 dark squares of the three rows closest to them. That leaves the two central rows empty, which is where the opening moves meet.
Pieces move one dark square diagonally forward. They cannot move backwards and cannot move sideways. At the start, every piece is what is called a man.
Capturing works by jumping. If an opponent's piece sits on a diagonal square next to yours, and the square immediately beyond it is empty, you leap over it and remove it from the board. Several captures can be chained in a single turn if the jumps line up.
Capturing is mandatory when available. If a jump is on offer, you must take it, which directly influences strategy across those 32 playable squares. You cannot quietly decline an exchange you dislike.
The other rule every beginner needs is crowning. A man reaching the opponent's back row, the king row, which is the farthest rank of four dark squares, is crowned a king. You mark this by stacking a captured piece on top.
A king gains the ability to move and capture backwards as well as forwards. That single upgrade changes the balance of a game completely, turning a trapped piece into one that threatens the whole board.
The aim is to leave your opponent with no legal move, either by capturing all their pieces or by blocking them entirely. If you want games that teach this kind of thinking early, our round-up of board games for five-year-olds points to good first choices.
How to Win at Draughts: Simple Tactics That Actually Work
Draughts rewards patience far more than speed. The commonest beginner mistake is grabbing every capture that looks tempting, forgetting that captures are mandatory, which means a clever opponent can offer a piece to force you into a worse position.
Think one move ahead about what your jump leaves behind. If taking a piece lands you on a square where you can immediately be jumped in return, you have usually lost the exchange.
Control the centre early. The middle squares give your pieces the most diagonals to work with, while pieces pushed to the edges have fewer options and are easier to pin.
Try to advance in connected groups rather than lone pieces. A man with a friendly piece behind it is protected, because an opponent who jumps it exposes their own piece to recapture.
Keep your back row intact for as long as sensibly possible. Those four squares on your own king row block the opponent from crowning, so holding them delays their most dangerous pieces.
When you do start promoting pieces, aim to get a king while the board is still busy. A king among many pieces does far more work than one that arrives after most of the fighting is over.
Above all, count the exchanges. If a trade swaps one of your pieces for one of theirs but leaves you with a crowned king, you have come out ahead even though the piece count looks even.
These habits transfer to plenty of other classic games. If draughts earns a regular place at your table, our guide to British family board games suggests what might sit beside it.
Draughts Variations and How the Rules Change Between Them
English draughts is only one version of the game. The board you choose determines which rules you are playing by, so it helps to know what else exists.
International draughts, sometimes called Polish draughts, is played on a 10×10 board, giving 100 squares in total, with play on the 50 dark squares. That larger grid means more pieces, longer games, and considerably more room for manoeuvre.
The extra space changes the character of play entirely. Captures can run in longer chains, kings have further to travel, and the opening phase lasts well beyond the few moves that decide a cramped 8×8 game.
Because the number of playable squares is the single biggest difference, it is worth deciding early which version you want to learn. Most households in Britain start with the 8×8 English game, which keeps the rules simpler for children.
The 64-square board is also wonderfully versatile, since the same grid serves chess, giving one board two games. A set from our traditional games range therefore earns its place twice over.
Other diagonal-capture games share the same instincts, even when they look different. Backgammon trains the same forward thinking about exchanges, and our backgammon board buying guide is a sensible next read if you enjoy that style of play.
For games that move outdoors in summer, our outdoor games carry the same classic spirit, and if you are planning ahead for the season, our Christmas Eve box ideas gather a few favourites worth wrapping.
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Frequently Asked Questions About How Many Squares On A Draughts Board
How many squares are on a draughts board?
A standard draughts board is an 8×8 grid, giving 64 squares in total. These squares alternate between light and dark. However, not all 64 squares are used during play — in English draughts, pieces move and capture exclusively on the 32 dark squares. If you are playing international draughts (Polish draughts), a larger 10×10 board is used, which has 100 squares in total, with play conducted on 50 dark squares. Jaques of London, established in 1795, has been producing quality draughts sets throughout the game's modern history.
How many dark squares do you actually play on in draughts?
In English draughts (British draughts), play takes place entirely on the 32 dark squares of the standard 8×8 board. The 32 light squares are never used — no piece ever occupies or crosses them. This restriction shapes the entire structure of the game, dictating piece placement, movement paths, and capture opportunities. In international draughts, played on a 10×10 board, the number of playable dark squares increases to 50, which significantly expands the strategic scope of the game.
How do you set up a draughts board?
Place the 8×8 board so that each player has a dark square in the bottom-left corner. Each player takes 12 pieces — one player uses light pieces, the other dark. Pieces are placed on the dark squares only, filling the three rows of dark squares closest to each player. This means pieces occupy rows one, two, and three from each player's side, leaving the two middle rows of dark squares empty at the start. The board is then ready for play, with 24 of the 32 dark squares occupied.
How do you play draughts step by step?
Two players take turns moving one piece at a time. Pieces move diagonally forward one square onto an empty dark square. If an opponent's piece occupies a diagonal square and the square immediately beyond it is empty, you must capture it by jumping over it and removing it from the board — capturing is mandatory under English draughts rules. If multiple captures are available in a chain, they must all be taken in one turn. A piece reaching the opponent's back row is crowned a king and may then move and capture both forwards and backwards.
What are the rules of draughts in the UK?
English draughts is played on the 32 dark squares of an 8×8 board. Each player starts with 12 pieces arranged on their nearest three rows of dark squares. Pieces move diagonally forwards only. Capturing — jumping over an opponent's piece to an empty square beyond — is mandatory when available. A piece reaching the opponent's back row (the king row) is crowned a king, gaining the ability to move and capture backwards as well as forwards. A player who cannot move, either because all pieces are captured or all moves are blocked, loses the game.
How do you win at draughts?
You win at English draughts by either capturing all of your opponent's pieces or leaving them with no legal move on their turn. Because capturing is mandatory under English draughts rules, skilled players use the 32 playable dark squares strategically — setting up forced capture sequences that remove multiple opponent pieces. Controlling the centre dark squares, advancing pieces safely towards the king row, and timing your king promotions are key strategic objectives. A player who loses all 12 pieces or finds every piece completely blocked from moving on their turn loses the game.
How many pieces does each player start with in draughts?
In English draughts, each player begins with 12 pieces. These are arranged on the 12 dark squares within the three rows of dark squares closest to that player on the 8×8 board. One player uses light-coloured pieces, the other dark-coloured pieces. The 24 pieces in total occupy 24 of the 32 playable dark squares at the start of a game, leaving the central eight dark squares empty. In international draughts on a 10×10 board, each player starts with 20 pieces instead.
How many players do you need to play draughts?
Draughts is a two-player game. One player controls the light pieces and the other controls the dark pieces, taking turns alternately throughout the game. The player using the dark pieces traditionally moves first, though house rules sometimes vary this convention. Draughts cannot be played solitaire in its standard form — the mandatory capture rule and the interplay of both players' decisions are fundamental to how the game functions. Jaques of London, established in 1795, has long produced two-player board games including draughts sets crafted to high standards.
What happens when a piece reaches the other side in draughts?
In English draughts, when a man (an ordinary piece) reaches the opponent's back row — known as the king row, comprising the four dark squares on the farthest rank — it is crowned a king. Traditionally this is marked by placing a second piece on top of it. A king gains significantly greater power: it may move and capture diagonally both forwards and backwards, unlike a man which can only move forwards. Reaching the king row mid-capture does not end the turn if further captures are immediately available as a king, under standard English draughts rules.
What is the difference between draughts and checkers?
Draughts and checkers refer to the same family of games — "draughts" is the standard British English term, while "checkers" is used primarily in North America. English draughts and American checkers share nearly identical rules: both use an 8×8 board, 32 dark squares, 12 pieces per player, mandatory capturing, and king promotion at the back row. Differences emerge in regional variants — international draughts (Polish draughts) uses a 10×10 board with 50 dark squares and 20 pieces per player, with additional rules governing kings, which can move multiple squares in a single diagonal direction.