DUEL / ACADEMY

Understand. Try. Play.

Chess and Russian checkers from the first move. Short lessons and real board practice — no account needed.

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From rules to your own ideas

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In chess, protect your king and look for checks, captures and threats. In Russian checkers, check for mandatory captures and the entire jump sequence first. Similar boards follow different rules.

Each lesson explains one idea in a small position. It is an exercise for a specific move, rather than a full game against an opponent. Start with the basics or choose a topic you already know.

Learning path

All lessons

Chess

  1. 01
    First moveTake the centre with a pawnBasics · 2 min
  2. 02
    Bring the knight into playDevelop toward the centreOpening · 2 min
  3. 03
    The bishop’s diagonalSpot a capture with checkCaptures · 2 min
  4. 04
    Take an undefended pieceCheck the rook’s straight pathCaptures · 2 min
  5. 05
    A safer kingCastle kingsideBasics · 3 min
  6. 06
    En passantA special pawn captureSpecial moves · 3 min
  7. 07
    A pawn becomes a queenReach the final rankPromotion · 2 min
  8. 08
    The king helps its pawnThe king fights in the endgame tooEndgame · 3 min
  9. 09
    Back-rank checkmateFind the decisive rook moveCheckmate · 3 min
  10. 10
    The open fileInvade with the rookCheckmate · 3 min
  11. 11
    A pinPin the knight to its kingTactics · 3 min
  12. 12
    A knight forkAttack the king and queen togetherTactics · 4 min · Plus · free preview
  13. 13
    Queenside castlingMove the king and rook to the queensideSpecial moves · 3 min
  14. 14
    En passant with checkOpen the rook’s file with a special captureSpecial moves · 3 min
  15. 15
    Choose your promotionA knight avoids stalematePromotion · 4 min
  16. 16
    Stalemate is a drawNotice the danger of a move without checkEndgame · 3 min
  17. 17
    A queen’s double attackCheck the king and attack the rookTactics · 4 min
  18. 18
    Discovered checkMove the bishop off the rook’s fileTactics · 3 min
  19. 19
    Capture against a pinned defenderCheck whether the rook can replyTactics · 4 min
  20. 20
    Mate with the king’s supportPlace a protected queen beside the kingCheckmate · 3 min

Checkers

  1. 01
    The first diagonalMake a quiet move with a manBasics · 2 min
  2. 02
    Mandatory captureJump over an opponentBasics · 2 min
  3. 03
    A man captures backwardNotice the capture behind youCaptures · 2 min
  4. 04
    Becoming a kingReach the final rankKings · 2 min
  5. 05
    A king’s freedomChoose a useful diagonal squareKings · 2 min
  6. 06
    The flying kingCapture across the diagonalKings · 3 min
  7. 07
    Crowned during a captureContinue the sequence as a kingCombination · 4 min
  8. 08
    Two captures in one moveKeep jumping while a capture remainsCombinations · 4 min · Plus · free preview
  9. 09
    Captures come before quiet movesCheck the whole board before choosing a pieceBasics · 3 min
  10. 10
    You may choose a shorter captureRussian draughts does not require taking the mostCombinations · 4 min
  11. 11
    A king changes diagonalFind the turn inside a forced sequenceCombinations · 4 min
  12. 12
    Win without the final captureLeave the opponent with no legal movesEndgame · 3 min

How to learn

  1. 01

    Read the goal and find the piece on the board. Tap it, then its destination: dots show legal moves.

  2. 02

    Each exercise has a specific goal. A legal move may not solve it — try again or open the hint. For a checkers capture sequence, choose the final square of the whole path.

  3. 03

    After solving, read the explanation. Repeat the move without a hint and describe its idea in your own words; then move to the next lesson.