Check the whole board before making a quiet move
This guide covers the Russian checkers variant used in Happy Games: an 8×8 board, diagonal movement on dark squares and ordinary pieces that step forward but capture both forward and backward. A move without a capture is called a quiet move. Rules from other checkers variants can differ, so do not carry over a forward-only capture rule.
If any of your pieces can capture, you must make a capture. This restriction applies to your whole side, not just the piece you first select. You cannot move a different piece quietly to avoid taking. Start each turn by checking every friendly piece for an available jump.
For an ordinary piece, a capture needs an adjacent opposing piece on a diagonal and an empty square immediately beyond it. You jump to that empty square and take the opposing piece. A friendly piece cannot be captured, and an occupied landing square blocks that jump.
Read the diagrams from White's side
The diagrams use files a–h from left to right and ranks 1–8 from bottom to top. White moves toward rank 8 on quiet moves. Every piece shown below is an ordinary piece, not a king; all unlisted squares are empty, and White is to move. These are small teaching positions, not the normal starting arrangement.
An arrow sequence such as a3 → c5 → e7 lists the starting square and each landing in order. It describes one complete turn when the landings are connected by captures.
Example 1: a3 → c5 is only half the turn
Place White on a3 and Black on b4 and d6. White first jumps over b4 and lands on c5. From c5, the black piece on d6 is now adjacent on a diagonal, and e7 beyond it is empty. The same white piece must therefore jump again, from c5 to e7.
The complete move is a3 → c5 → e7, taking b4 and d6. Stopping on c5 is not a legal finished turn. You cannot hand the turn to Black or continue with another white piece while this piece still has a capture.
The guided demonstration below uses exactly this position. Select the highlighted e7 square to see the complete move. In this small setup, Black has no pieces left afterward, so White wins; the lesson is to trace both jumps before choosing the final destination.
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Example 2: the second jump can go backward
Now place White on c3 and Black on d4 and f4. The first capture goes forward: c3 → e5 over d4. From e5, White can jump backward over f4 and land on g3. That backward capture is compulsory too.
The complete move is c3 → e5 → g3. Both black pieces are taken, even though White finishes on the same rank where it began. The direction of a quiet move does not limit the direction of a capture, and a chain does not have to keep moving toward the promotion row.
After every landing, inspect all four diagonals again. Looking only ahead is a common reason for overlooking the next required jump.
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Example 3: compulsory does not mean the longest route
Place White on c3 and Black on b4, d4 and f6. White has two complete legal routes. On the left, c3 → a5 captures b4 and ends because no further capture is available from a5. On the right, c3 → e5 → g7 captures d4 and then f6.
Both routes are allowed in this variant. You must capture, but you do not have to choose the route that takes the greatest number of pieces. The one-capture route to a5 remains legal alongside the two-capture route to g7.
The distinction matters: choosing c3 → a5 is legal, while choosing c3 → e5 and stopping is not. The first is a complete route; the second leaves a required continuation. When comparing options, consider the final landing and your opponent's possible reply as well as the number of pieces taken.
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A quick test before your next move
In Example 1, may White finish on c5? No: the jump over d6 remains. In Example 2, may White ignore f4 because it lies behind e5? No: ordinary pieces can capture backward. In Example 3, must White take two pieces? No: the shorter route to a5 is also complete and legal.
Use the same three checks in a full game: find all available captures, follow each candidate route until it has no continuation, then compare the resulting positions. Kings have longer diagonal reach, so these adjacent-jump examples do not cover every king position. Read the full Checkers rules through the link below, or replay the demonstration before opening Happy Games in Telegram and selecting Checkers.