A Guide to Playing Checkers with a Grandchild

You might have to be a baby boomer to remember playing checkers with a grandparent. My six year old grandson loves video games, and is a hero when it comes to them. But, about a year ago, I was out shopping and found a checker game that cost 2 bucks. The next day, when Ty was at my home waiting for the bus I brought out the game and asked him if he wanted to play. He eagerly said "Yes!" And we were off to the races.

Playing checkers with a grandchild is a singular experience, and one of quality. Yes, they learn some strategy, and a simple way to jump a king. But, what they enjoy so much is the one-on-one contact with their grandparent. Once, I began the game and taught him how to play - he was up for the game everyday.

Checkers or draughts as it is called in Great Britain has been around since ancient times. Some date as far back as 3000 B.C. Some say even Jesus Christ played checker (just kidding). But, the game has a history just the same. It has evolved over time and several different forms of the game can be played. The game was first programmed into a computer even before World War II, and is now used to oppose champion checker players around the world.

It's probably best to begin simply when teaching a young child, so this is the game directions that I taught my grandson, Ty.

The goal of the game is to capture all of the opponent's checkers, or block them so they cannot move. Each player places his 12 checkers on the black squares of the first three rows on opposite ends of the board.

The checkers are moved diagonally forward and each player alternately moves one of his checkers. In order to capture an opponents checker he must be able to jump (with his own checker) over his opponents checker when there is a vacant square behind. Single checkers may move diagonally forward.

When the player moves his checker to the last row on the opposite side of the board, the checker becomes a "King". The "King" is crowned by placing another checker on top of it. A "King" may move diagonally forward or backward. You are allowed to jump as many of the opponent's checkers on the same move if there are vacant squares behind each. When there is a "jump" available the opponent must jump.

Checkers might seem to be an elementary game, but it isn't. There are championship tournaments played, and many books explaining winning strategies and different sorts of checker games. The other games can all be played using the checker board, and have such unlikely names as; Hounding the Fox, Ragoon, Puzzle Hop (checker for one) Triangular Checkers, and Shifting checker.

Playing a game like checkers with a child is filled with great experiences - but the best one is spending time with a special child who will have the memory of the two of you playing checkers forever.