Draughts

Let it be known that draughts is not checkers. Yes, the board is an 8x8 square, checkered board, but

- Regular pieces may only move forwards (towards the opponent), and may not capture pieces that are behind them. Kings can move in any direction.
In checkers, every piece may move in any direction

- When capturing an enemy piece, no piece may jump more than two squares, and therefore must start off adjacent to it.¹
In Checkers, kings may jump as far as they like.

- All pieces move only one square per turn
In checkers, kings may move as far as they like.

Despite all the other rules being the same, this leads to a much more sedate game. The single move cleanups you see in cartoons are virtually impossible in draughts.

Draughts is the foremost 'move circular counters around a chess board' game in Britain, to the exclusion of checkers. Which leads to general confusion when Americans call checkers draughts.

1 - Five is right out.

Draughts (?), n. pl.

A mild vesicatory. See Draught, n., 3 (c).

 

© Webster 1913.

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Draughts, n. pl.

A game, now more commonly called checkers. See Checkers.

⇒ Polish draughts is sometimes played with 40 pieces on a board divided into 100 squares.

Am. Cyc.

 

© Webster 1913.