Every move
has an idea.
Two games, two paths. Choose yours and explore the rules, tactics and game plan.
All library articles
First chess moves: the centre and piece development
A clear opening plan: occupy the centre, develop knights and bishops, and check your opponent's reply. Explore an example on the board.
First stepsCastling: when it is legal and why to move the king
Kingside and queenside castling: king and rook movement, attacked squares and retaining castling rights. Try it on the board.
Rules and planningThe knight fork: seeing two targets in one move
Find a knight fork, check the reply, and distinguish a material gain from an attractive but useless double attack. A three-move example.
TacticsCheckmate and stalemate: no moves does not always mean victory
Check, legal replies and the extra-queen trap explain the difference between checkmate and stalemate. Deliver rook mate on the example board.
Ending the gameRussian checkers: mandatory capture and backward jumps
When you must capture in Russian checkers, and why a man can capture backwards. Check every diagonal and make the required move.
Russian checkers · basicsRussian checkers capture sequences: promotion and beyond
Why the first jump may not finish your move, and how a man continues capturing as a king. Calculate the entire route on the board.
Russian checkers · combinationsEn passant: why a pawn disappears from the adjacent square
Five moves explain when en passant is available, which pawn is removed, and why the opportunity cannot be saved for later.
RulesPawn promotion: when a knight is more useful than a queen
The four promotion choices and a fork by the new knight. Check the check, the king's reply and the subsequent queen capture.
TacticsPins: why a knight has ordinary moves but no legal ones
Find the rook–knight–king line and remove an absolute pin. A step-by-step position explains why a move is forbidden and why that changes.
TacticsAvoid hanging pieces: check threats before moving
A short routine for checks, captures and opposing replies. Compare an undefended knight with a similar position where a pawn protects it.
Strategy and practiceFlying kings: choose the landing square after a capture
Three legal king landings have different consequences. Compare safe f6 with g7, where a man immediately captures the king.
Russian checkers · tacticsMust you capture the most pieces? Choice under Russian rules
Short and long captures can both be legal. Compare two routes and separate a free initial choice from mandatory continuation.
Russian checkers · rulesQuiet promotion: why a king's second move must wait
A man reaches the last rank and becomes a king. Watch the opponent reply before the new king makes a long move.
Russian checkers · rulesBlocking checkers: winning without the final capture
The opponent still has a piece but no legal move. Examine an edge blockade and distinguish it from chess stalemate.
Russian checkers · strategyThe library grows with DUEL. The checkers articles cover Russian checkers on an 8×8 board; other variants have different rules.
Ruslan · No Limits