Queens & Kings ...A Checkers Game
Queens & Kings ...A Checkers Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Pieces and Placement
Pieces: 18 per player (in 4 distinct colors).
Placement: The pieces are placed on the squares using the first three rows in front of each player.
Moves: Pieces move diagonally across the board on the black squares, one square at a time, in a forward direction. Queens & Kings have their own special moves.
To Start: Players place 1 Queen and 3 Kings of the same color facedown and shuffle. The player that draws the Queen goes first, play continues in a clockwise direction.
Capture
Capture: A piece is captured by jumping over it, it is then removed from the board. Several pieces may be captured in a single move by making successive jumps with a single piece. The pieces captured do not all have to be the same color. If a capture is possible, it must be made, failure to do so results in the forfeiture of that piece.
- Capturing pieces is compulsory. It is the responsibility of all players to make sure that is enforced.
- If more than one of your pieces has a jump available at the start of a turn, you can choose which piece will take the jump(s).
- Once a player moves a piece and lifts her or his finger from a chip their move is over.
King: Any piece that reaches the Queen's Scepter (center of board) becomes a King. A King can move backward as well as forward along the diagonals. It can only move a distance of one space along the diagonal grid, unless it is jumping consecutive opponents pieces.
- When jumping, Kings must land in the next square beyond the piece it jumped. If there is no empty square immediately beyond the piece to be jumped, then that jump is not possible.
Queen: A piece that reaches the last row of squares on the opposite side of the board becomes a Queen. A Queen can move diagonal as many spaces as a player chooses along her diagonal grid until obstructed.
The Queen can capture an opponent piece by jumping over it. The Queen can move and jump an opponent along the diagonal as long as:
- The piece that is to be captured is along the same diagonal as the Queen.
- The Queen cannot jump over a piece of its own or teammates to capture.
- The Queen cannot jump over consecutive opponents pieces, there must be at least one empty square just beyond the piece to be captured.
- The Queen cannot change its diagonal line to create a jump to her left or right.
Touching Pieces: If you touch a piece, you must move that piece. If the piece is not legally movable, then you should be warned of false, proper or illegal moves. In the spirit of having a fun, clean game, establish house rules that clearly explain this point.
End of the Game
End: The game ends when all opposing player(s) pieces have been removed or opposing player(s) have no available moves remaining. The game is won by the player or team who can make the last move; that is, no move is available to the opponent on their turn of play. Either because all their pieces have been captured or their remaining pieces are all blocked from advancing.
- In team play the game continues after one (color) player has been eliminated, play continues in the same clockwise motion, skipping the eliminated (color) player.
Stalemate: The game ends in a stalemate or draw if at any time all the players agree upon the following results:
- All players agree that with continuous moves they would only create the same position or outcome.
- Neither player (team) can advance an uncrowned piece to the Queen row.
- No further pieces can be removed from the board, after continuous nonproductive movements.
Game Pieces
When the game starts, all crowns are facing down, with only prospective colors showing. Upon landing in the appropriate squares your piece is reversed to reveal a crown.
- If the appropriate crown is not revealed for that accomplishment, replace it with the proper crown.
- If a piece captures the scepter (center of board) it becomes a King.
- If a piece moves all the way to the opposite end of the board it becomes a Queen.
Setup and Object of Queen and Kings ...A Checker Game
Queen and King ...A Checkers Game is played on a standard 17x17 square grid board, utilizing only the black squares. Each player begins the game with 18 pieces, placed in the three rows closest to him or her. The object of the game is to capture all of your opponent's pieces or position your pieces so that your opponent has no available moves.
The game can be played individually or as teams.
The 9-piece game (shorter version) is played using the same layout format and objectives as above. Use only a 13x13 grid.
Note: When playing the 9-piece version all pieces must remain inside the smaller 13x13 grid, with the exception of the King. To be crowned King a chip must travel to the opposite end of board.
Movement
Basic movement is to move a piece one space diagonally forward. You cannot move a piece backwards until it becomes a Queen by capturing the center of the board. By moving across the board to your team/opponents back squares, as described below, receives King status.
- A Queen and King remains so until they have been removed from the board or the game is over.
Jumping
If one of your opponent's pieces is on a forward diagonal next to one of your pieces, and the next space beyond the opponent's pieces is empty, then your piece must jump the opponent's piece and land in the space beyond. Your opponent's piece is captured and removed from the board.
After making one jump, your piece might have another jump available from its new position, your piece must take that jump too. It must continue to jump until there are no more jumps available. All pieces are allowed to make multiple jumps if available.
- You cannot jump over your own pieces.
- When playing as teams you can advance by jumping over your teammates pieces, however their pieces remain on the board. When jumping over a teammate to advance these rules apply:
- You can jump over your teammate but are not required to make multiple jumps.
- When jumping over your teammate, you cannot capture an opponent in that turn. You can only choose to use your teammate for advancement or escaping an opponent.
You Must Jump if Possible
If a jump is available to capture your opponent piece, you must make that jump. If more captures are available with the jumping piece, you must continue to capture all pieces that are available.
King
When one of your pieces reaches the Queen's Scepter or center of the board, it is reversed and becomes a King by reversing your piece and placing the appropriate crown of the king in its space.
A King can move backward as well as forward along the diagonals. It can only move a distance of one space per move, unless jumping an opponent's piece.
A King must jump an opponent when possible, and it must take all jumps that are available to it.
In each jump, the King can only jump over one opposing piece at a time, and it must land in the space just beyond the captured piece.
Queen
When one of your pieces reaches the opposite end of the board, it is reversed and becomes a Queen. Be sure to place the appropriate crown of the Queen in the space.
A Queen can move backward as well as forward along any unobstructed diagonal. A Queen can also jump backward and forward. It must jump when possible, and it must take all jumps that are available to it.
In each jump, the Queen can only jump over opposing pieces that are in its diagonal lane and there must be at least one space to land on beyond the captured piece. A Queen cannot jump over multiple chips if there is no space to land.
The Queen can move multiple spaces before or after jumping a piece as long as it can land diagonally in a space beyond the opposing player piece.
9 Piece Game (shorter version)
Queens and Kings ...A Checkers Game also offers a shorter 9 piece version for both 2 or 4 players, which plays on a 13x13 grid.
This version plays with the same rules as above just a faster, shorter duration version.
Credits
Game Design: Ikie Corbin Illustration: Stephen LaFrance Graphic Design: James Zitnik ArtWork: Alba Palacio Video Production: Ori Kagan Development: JR Honeycutt Playtesters: The Corbin Crew
Special thanks to: Kati Corbin, Laura Laine, and all of my many play testers