CHESKER

The Draft

Before the game starts, each player takes turns picking one piece from their colored chess set until they have 12 pieces. You can pick any pieces you want! Most players choose everything except pawns — but some players love pawns and might pick them over a knight or bishop. Your draft, your strategy!

Setting Up

Players take turns placing one piece from their color on the squares of their color in their first three rows — just like in checkers — until all 12 pieces are placed. There's no set starting position, so think carefully about where you put your best pieces!

Taking Turns

White, or the lightest color, goes first. Players take turns moving one piece at a time. Each piece moves exactly the same way it does in chess — a bishop moves diagonally, a rook moves in straight lines, a knight jumps in an L-shape, and so on.

Eating Pieces

To capture (eat) an opponent's piece, your piece must jump over it using its normal chess move. Once a piece is eaten, it's off the board for good.

A piece can jump multiple times during each turn as long as it is eating an opponent's piece on each jump.

⚠️ You can jump over your own piece, but then you eat your own piece too — so be careful!

⚠️ Special pawn rule: Pawns can move 2 spaces diagonally to eat another piece.

⚠️ Special king rule: Kings can move 2 spaces to eat an opponent's piece.

Blocking

A piece cannot move or eat if it would land on a square that already has another piece on it — even your own! You must find a different move or a different piece to play. Plan ahead so your pieces don't get blocked in!

Winning

The first player to eat all of their opponent's pieces wins the game! 🏆