Is Checkers Easier Than Chess? A Comparison for Online Gamers

There are many similarities between a game of both Checkers and Chess. For example, they are strategy-based games played on an 8x8 checkered board. They also share the same objective: to capture as many of the opponent's pieces as possible by jumping over them.

However, this does not mean that their difficulty levels are comparable. In fact, many people would consider chess the more difficult of the two because there is more variation between pieces and movements that can be made.

Checkers vs. Chess: Ease of Play

To understand whether or not Checkers is easier to play than chess, it's important that you understand the basic rules of each game.

Playing Chess.

Terminology.

Pawn. Pawns are the lowest-ranking pieces on the board, and each player has eight of them. They can be moved forward one square or two squares during their first move. They can capture pieces diagonally.

Knight. Each player has two knights, and they can move in an ‘L’ shape. This means that they can move two squares vertically and then one horizontally. Kings can also jump over other pieces.

Bishop. Each player has two bishop pieces, and they can move any number of squares in a diagonal.

Rook. Each player has two Rook pieces, and they can move in any direction horizontally or vertically.

Queen. Each player has one queen, and they move in any direction horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

King. The King is the highest-ranking peice on the board, and capturing your opponent's king will signify the end of the game. They can move one square in any direction.

Check. The movement puts the King peice in danger of being captured.

Capture. The action of capturing another opponent's peice and removing it from the board.

How To Play.

1. When playing chess, the opponent in charge of the white pieces moves first.
2. Both opponents, paying attention to the restrictions of the relevant pieces, work to move across the board and capture an opponent's peice by taking over the tile it occupies.
3. The game ends when the opponent’s peice is captured or if a player cannot make any more moves and their King is still in check.

Playing Checkers.

Terminology.

Checkers. The standard pieces used in a game of checkers. Each player has twelve pieces to begin with, and they are either red or black. They are sometimes referred to as Men. They

can be moved forward into a diagonally adjacent square or over a diagonally adjacent opponent’s peice.

Kings. Kings are regular pieces that have reached the opponent's side of the board. In doing so, they can move diagonally in any direction (forward or backward).

Capture. When you move your peice over an opponent's peice, you have ‘captured’ them. The piece is then removed from the board.

Jump. A jump refers to moving a tile to a peice more than two squares away diagonally from the piece's original position to capture an opponent’s peice.

Double Jump. A double jump refers to completing two successful jumps in a row.

How To Play.

1. Players take it in turn to move their pieces across the board.
2. Players work to turn their regular pieces into Kings (achieved by reaching their opponent's side of the board without being captured) or
3. To capture their opponent’s pieces and remove them from the board.
4. The game ends when all of the opponent’s tiles have been removed from the board or when an opponent is unable to make a legal move.

Which game is easier to play online?

Generally speaking, the majority of online gamers find checkers to be notably easier than chess. This is because there are fewer rules to remember, as there is less variation between the pieces and the potential moves that can be made. As such, it's easier to get to grasps the gameplay, especially when playing online.

Furthermore, at 247Checkers, we’ve made a concentrated effort to make it as easy as possible to play Checkers online. For example, you can refresh your knowledge of the game at any point by scrolling down to re-familiarize yourself with the rules and definitions of each chess peice. Not only that, but you can choose between four difficulty levels when playing online:

• Easy
• Medium
• Hard
• Expert

This way, you can adjust the difficulty level over time, providing you with a suitable challenge without the game feeling impossible from the outset. If you’re feeling particularly daring, you can also try your hand at our daily challenge.

We’ll also make it easier than ever to determine your next move. For example, each time you click on a tile during your turn, the potential spaces in which you can move will be highlighted. If they are highlighted in green, this simply shows which direction you can head in, depending on whether you’re moving a King peice or a regular peice. If it is highlighted in red, this signifies a space where you can jump to capture an opponent’s peice.

If you still cannot decide which peice to move, you can click on the lightbulb button on the left-hand side of your screen. This will highlight the optimal move you can make in this scenario in green. However, this will add a minute to the timer and could affect your star rating at the end of the game.

Beyond this, you’ll likely find that the more time you spend playing checkers, the more competent you become. This is because you’ll understand the rules and restrictions in better detail, which means that you can start to deploy strategies that increase your chances of winning. Read on to discover the best strategies for mastering Checkers!

Mastering Checkers Strategies

Try to turn your pieces into Kings as quickly as possible. As mentioned above, Kings are the most powerful pieces in a game of Checkers. This means that by turning your pieces into Kings as quickly as possible, you’re giving yourself a one-up on your opponent. This is because Kings can move both forward and backward diagonally, making it easier to travel across the board.

Keep your bottom row in place for as long as possible. When a game of checkers begins, your pieces will be spread across three rows. Ideally, you should keep your bottom in place for as long as possible. This is because it makes it harder for your opponents to place a peice in this tile then, meaning you can stop them from turning pieces into Kings.

Move your Kings into a central position. Moving your Kings into a central position on the board is another useful strategy to deploy against your opponent. After all, if you place them on the edges of the board, this means that you have only two potential options to choose from (or one if placed in a corner) as opposed to four. This makes it much harder to take full advantage of the King pieces.

Pay close attention to your opponent. Checkers (much like Chess) is a game that requires the players to pay close attention to detail. After all, not only should you be focused on moving your pieces across the board, but you’ve also got to pay close attention to the moves that your opponent is making (even when playing online). After all, you’ll then find it much easier to anticipate their next move so that you can take preventative action. For example, if you can see that they are zoning in on a particular peice, you can begin to move it to a safer space on the board before it is too late.

Tips for Checkers Success

There are many steps that you can take to ensure that you succeed when playing checkers online at Checkers247, whether you’re playing alone, with a friend, or with an online opponent.

• Choose a difficulty you are comfortable with. Choosing a difficulty level that you are comfortable with is key when it comes to succeeding in checkers, especially when you are playing for the first time. We’d recommend that you try to reach a three-star rating on each difficulty level before moving on to the next one.
• Pay attention to the guidance provided. As mentioned above, each potential move you can make when playing Checkers will be highlighted in either red or green. Paying attention to this and assessing your options means that you can make the most strategic move possible. When attempting to double jump, remember to click the red tile that is furthest away; otherwise, you will only execute a single jump.
• Use the help button when you need it. If you’ve run out of ideas or cannot decide which of the potential moves is best, then click the question mark button on the left-hand side of the screen.
• Remember that practice makes perfect. Remember, as with any skill, the more time you dedicate to honing your abilities, the better you’ll become. In short, the more time you spend playing checkers online, the greater your chances of success.
• Pay attention to the opponent’s moves. Whether you are focusing on capturing a specific peice or turning a man into a King, it's important that you do not drop the ball when it comes to observing your opponent, either. After all, doing so could mean that you are leaving other pieces vulnerable to being captured.

Is Checkers Really Hard?

In short, Checkers is a relatively easy game. However, when playing for the first time, you may find it a little hard to get to grips with. Furthermore, there are plenty of steps that you can take to make Checkers easier, such as familiarizing yourself with the rules of gameplay and using our guidance features to make your next move.

When compared to other strategy-based games, such as Chess, you’ll likely find that checkers are the much easier choice!

Final Thoughts.

In short, if you’re looking to answer the question: Is Checkers easier than Chess? Then the answer is Yes! With fewer pieces and rules to wrap your head around, you’ll likely find that you can bring yourself up to speed much quicker when learning how to play checkers.

Checkers v. Chess: FAQS.

Which is harder - Chess or Checkers?

Generally speaking, Chess is harder than checkers. This is because there are multiple variations of pieces in a game of chess, whereas there are only two in a game of checkers, allowing for simpler gameplay overall.

How can I learn to play Checkers Online?

You can learn to play Checkers online for FREE at 247 Checkers. This is a great way to develop the skills you need to become a competent player. After all, you can access a wide range of support tools designed to help you get to grips with the rules. Furthermore, if you need to familarize yourself with the basics of gameplay, you can find plenty of guidance on our site or in our blog.

How can I learn to play Chess online?

If you want to learn how to play Chess online for free, check out 247 Chess. Here, you can access the same support tools listed above, all of which are designed to help you become a more skillful player, increasing your confidence while doing so.

What are the similarities between Chess and Checkers?

There are many similarities between Chess and Checkers.

• Objectives. Both chess and checkers share the same objective: to remove your opponent's pieces from the board in order to secure a win.
• The Board. Whether played online or in person, both are played on 8x8 boards with alternating color tiles.
• Players. Both Chess and Checkers have two players involved in gameplay.

What are the differences between Chess and Checkers?

• Peice functionality or variation. The pieces used in a game of chess or checkers vary widely in terms of the way they are able to move across the board. Chess has a larger variation of pieces, whereas Checkers has only two.
• Game length. Generally speaking, games of Chess take up much more time than a game of checkers. This is due to the fact that it requires more strategic gameplay and that there are more potential moves to take advantage of.

What variation of Checkers can I play online?

At 247Checkers, we’ve developed a wide range of stylized Checkers games so that you can play a different game every season or holiday. This includes:

• Valentine's Day Checkers
• Spring Checkers
• Easter Checkers
• St Patricks Checkers
• Cinco de Mayo Checkers
• 4th July Checkers
• Summer Checkers
• Fall Checkers
• Halloween Checkers
• Thanksgiving Checkers
• Christmas Checkers
• Winter Checkers

Don't worry, though; the rules will stay the same no matter which variation you are playing. The main differences are the pieces themselves. While they function in the same way, they will vary slightly depending on which game you are playing. For example, when playing Christmas Checkers, you’ll play as either reindeer or elves. When upgrading regular tiles, your reindeer will be adorned with a series of bells, or you’ll turn into Santa himself.

How can I become a better Checkers player?

Fortunately, there are many steps that you can take to become a better chess player. For example, you could start by checking out our blog post, which teaches you how to master the first move in a game of checkers. This way, you can ensure that you are starting out your game on the best possible foot.

You should also make sure that you pay close attention to your opponent throughout so that you’re better able to anticipate their next move. While this may be difficult to begin with, the more time you spend playing or practicing, the easier this step will become as you are more familiar with the strategies they could deploy in this regard. If you are playing in-person as opposed to online, you could even use this as an opportunity to psych out your opponent!

What are the benefits of playing Checkers online?

There are many benefits tied to playing checkers online. For example, it's a great way to get up to speed as a beginner, especially as you can adjust the difficulty level of the game as your abilities improve. This is something that you cannot necessarily do when playing in person!

In addition to this, playing online is much simpler and quicker. For example, you can easily fit a quick game into your lunch break or morning routine, as you do not need to go through the hassle of finding an opponent or setting up the board. You simply select your chosen game, and you’re ready to go!

Furthermore, no matter which style of game you are playing, Checkers has been proven to be incredibly beneficial for your cognitive abilities, especially when it comes to your logical reasoning skills and focus levels. After all, it is at its core a game of strategy, which means that you need to keep your wits about you when playing. As such, this is proof that online gaming is good for you!

DISCLAIMER: The games on this website are using PLAY (fake) money. No payouts will be awarded, there are no "winnings", as all games represented by 247 Games LLC are free to play. Play strictly for fun.