International Draughts FAQ

Common questions, answered · Updated August 20, 2026

Quick answers to the questions people ask most about international draughts. For the full detail, see the rules and the differences pages — or just play a game.

What is international draughts?

A checkers variant played on a 10×10 board with 20 pieces per side, using the international rules: men capture forward and backward, kings fly, and you must always take the maximum capture. It is the tournament standard, governed by the FMJD.

It is the deepest game in the draughts family and the one with the largest body of serious theory behind it. Where an 8×8 game is often decided by a single combination, a 10×10 game has room for a long manoeuvring phase first — closer in character to chess than most people expect from draughts.

How big is the board?

A 10×10 board of 100 squares, played on the dark squares only, with 20 pieces per player set up on the four nearest rows. That leaves 50 playable squares and 10 empty ones between the armies at the start, against 32 playable squares on a checkers board.

How is it different from Brazilian draughts?

Same rules, bigger board. International is 10×10 / 20 pieces; Brazilian is 8×8 / 12 pieces. See the full comparison.

Because the rules are identical, Brazilian draughts is the best possible practice for this game — everything transfers except the size of the board, and games are much shorter while you are learning.

Why is it called Polish draughts?

It picked up the name jeu polonais in France long ago, though its origins are European rather than strictly Polish. The name refers to the 10×10 game.

The game is still widely known by that name in French and several other languages, and in Polish it is warcaby stupolowe — literally "hundred-square draughts". We have a Polish-language version of this page with the rules in Polish.

Who moves first in international draughts?

Red moves first here, and the players alternate from there. There is no double move and no option to pass — if it is your turn you must move, and if a capture is available you must take it.

Can men capture backward?

Yes — a man moves forward only but may capture in any diagonal direction, including backward. On a board this size that matters more than it does on 8×8: there is far more space behind your line for an enemy piece to be lurking, and combinations regularly reverse direction halfway through.

What is a flying king?

A king moves any distance along a diagonal and captures from afar, landing on any empty square beyond its victim. On the 10×10 board it is especially strong.

The long diagonal here runs ten squares rather than eight, and with fewer pieces left in the endgame a single king can control an enormous amount of the board. It is common for a game to be decided by which side promotes first.

What is the maximum-capture rule?

When several captures are available you must take the one that captures the most pieces. If two lines tie for the most, you may choose between them.

On the bigger board this produces genuinely long sequences — captures of five, six and seven pieces are a normal feature of international draughts rather than a rarity, and the obligation to take the longest one is what makes deep sacrifices sound.

When is a man promoted to a king?

When it finishes its move on the far row. A man that merely passes across the last row during a capture and keeps going is not crowned — the last row has to be the final square of the move.

How do you win at international draughts?

You win when your opponent has no legal move on their turn, either because you have captured all their pieces or because every piece they have left is blocked. With 40 pieces on the board, blocking is rarer here than in the 8×8 games early on, but it remains a real winning method in the endgame.

Can a game of international draughts end in a draw?

Yes, and draws are common at a high level. A game is drawn when the same position occurs three times, or after a long run of quiet moves with no capture and no man advancing. Both are enforced automatically here, so a position neither side can win ends rather than continuing indefinitely.

How are squares numbered in international draughts?

Tournament play numbers the 50 dark squares from 1 to 50, starting at the top left from black's point of view, and records moves as "32-28" or "28x19" for a capture. You do not need the notation to play here — the board is clickable — but you will meet it immediately in any book or published game.

Is international draughts good for beginners?

It is a fine place to start if the 10×10 board is what drew you in, but most people find it easier to learn the rules on the smaller board first. The rules are identical to Brazilian draughts, so nothing is wasted: play a dozen quick 8×8 games until backward captures and flying kings feel automatic, then move up.

Can I play international draughts online for free?

Yes — free in your browser with no signup, against the computer on three levels or against another person. Nothing to download and no account needed. Start a game.

Can I play other people online?

Yes. Send a friend a private invite link, challenge anyone you see in the lobby, or post an open challenge and come back when somebody has accepted it. None of the three needs an account, and the result counts towards your Elo rating.