Help For Draughts

Introduction

Welcome to the network Draughts server. The rules of Draughts are below. The draughts "challenge" and "set" commands are described below. Other commands are the same for all pbmserv games.

This is the variant known as International Draughts, the principle game of the World Draughts Federation. For American Checkers or British 8x8 Draughts, see the Checkers help page.

A note on draughts notation:
Traditional Draughts Notation numbers the dark squares from 1 to 50 and uses these numbers to indicate the move. This server uses algebraic notation mainly because it is easier to display, however the numbered notation is also accepted for moves. The number 1 square is at B10, so an possible opening move could be sent as either H4-G5 or 34-29.

draughts challenge userid1 userid2 [ -reverse | -misere | -losing ] [ -small | -large ]

Start a new game of Draughts between userid1 and userid2.

The -reverse or -misere or -losing option turns the game into Reverse Draughts: the winner is the first player to lose all their pieces.

The -small option creates an 8x8 game of draughts, which is a variant played in parts of Germany and elsewhere.

The -large option creates a 12x12 game of draughts, which is a variant known as Canadian Checkers.

draughts set userid password [ options ]
or
draughts move board userid password option

Selects optional ways of viewing the board. Available options:

    flip    : Rotate the board if you are playing Black (default)
    noflip  : White is always at the bottom.

    large   : Large board display (default)
    small   : Small board display

Rules of Draughts Draughts is played on the dark squares of a 10x10 checker board. As shown below, each player starts with 20 men on the four rows closest to the player. The light color (White) moves first, and players alternate turns.

The winner is the last player to complete a legal move. Normally a player loses when all of his pieces are captured, thus leaving him with no legal moves. But a player also loses if his remaining pieces have no legal moves.

      A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ 
 10 |   |*C*|   |*C*|   |*C*|   |*C*|   |*C*| 10
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+  
  9 |*C*|   |*C*|   |*C*|   |*C*|   |*C*|   | 9 
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
  8 |   |*C*|   |*C*|   |*C*|   |*C*|   |*C*| 8 
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
  7 |*C*|   |*C*|   |*C*|   |*C*|   |*C*|   | 7 
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
  6 |   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::| 6 
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
  5 |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   |:::|   | 5 
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
  4 |   |:C:|   |:C:|   |:C:|   |:C:|   |:C:| 4 
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
  3 |:C:|   |:C:|   |:C:|   |:C:|   |:C:|   | 3 
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
  2 |   |:C:|   |:C:|   |:C:|   |:C:|   |:C:| 2 
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+   
  1 |:C:|   |:C:|   |:C:|   |:C:|   |:C:|   | 1 
    +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+    
      A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J

Men move 1 space diagonally forward, or jump diagonally forward or backward over an adjacent piece to an empty space immediately beyond. The piece which is jumped over is captured. A series of jumps with the same piece may be done in a single turn.

When a man ends its turn on the far row of the board it is "crowned" and becomes a King. If it jumps onto the last row and back off in the same turn, it is not crowned a King.

Kings move diagonally forward or backward any number of spaces, and may jump in the same manner, jumping over a single piece and landing in any empty square beyond.

If a player has jumps available, he must jump. If a piece can continue i jumping, it must. If a player has a choice of jumps he must choose the series of jumps which captures the most pieces.

When making multiple jumps, all jumps are first completed, and then the captured pieces are removed from the board. However, one may not jump over the same piece twice.