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Checkers Handcrafted Genuine Leather Board
Checkers Board
Checkers Set Up
Checkers Play
Checkers Pieces

Handcrafted circular genuine leather drawstring pouch board with playing pieces.

★★★★★ Historically Established Medieval & Modern Evolution

Checkers (Draughts)

The Timeless Game of Diagonal Movement, Jumping & Capture

Simple to learn but demanding to master, Checkers demonstrates one of the great pleasures of traditional games: a small number of rules can create an enormous number of possibilities.

R600.00 Handcrafted in South Africa
Leather Colour: Off White
Drawstring Colour: Black
Playing Pieces: Glass
Genuine leather circular drawstring pouch board with wooden cinch beads.
Delivery via Pudo, Paxi, or Aramex (Free delivery on orders over R900).
Complete historical rules and playing lineage included.

The Story of Checkers

Few board games are as instantly recognisable as Checkers. Known as Draughts in many parts of the world, it belongs to a much older family of games based around diagonal movement, jumping and capture.

The modern English/American form is played on an 8×8 board using 12 pieces per player. Its ancestry is connected to older games such as Alquerque, although the precise evolution from those earlier games into modern Checkers was gradual rather than a single moment of invention.

Simple to learn but demanding to master, Checkers demonstrates one of the great pleasures of traditional games: a small number of rules can create an enormous number of possibilities.

Objective

Capture all of your opponent's pieces, or leave them with no legal move.

How to Play

  1. Board Setup: Place 12 pieces on the dark squares of the three rows nearest each player.
  2. First Move: The player with the darker pieces moves first.
  3. Ordinary Movement: Ordinary pieces, known as men, move diagonally forward one square onto an empty dark square.
  4. Jumping & Capture: If an opponent's piece is diagonally adjacent and the square immediately beyond it is empty, you may jump over it and capture it.
  5. Compulsory Captures: Captures are compulsory. If a capture is available, it must be taken.
  6. Chain Captures: If another capture is available after a jump, the same piece continues capturing in the same turn.
  7. Crowning Kings: When a man reaches the opponent's back row, it becomes a King.
  8. King Abilities: Kings can move and capture diagonally forwards or backwards.
  9. Victory: The game ends when one player has captured all opposing pieces or has blocked the opponent so that no legal move remains.

The Heritage Note

A game with ancient relatives, but modern rules.

The Checkers played today should not be presented as an unchanged ancient game. Rather, it is the modern expression of a much older family of jumping and capture games.

Historical Accuracy Rating: ★★★★★ (Historically Established)
Modern rules are universally documented and consistently played worldwide. In our collection, Checkers stands as the living branch of a tree whose roots reach back through medieval Alquerque to the ancient world.

Game Specifications

Players 2 Players
Board 8×8 grid on genuine leather drawstring pouch board with perimeter cord
Pieces 12 pieces per player (24 pieces total)
Playing Time Approximately 20–40 minutes
Difficulty Easy to learn / Moderate to master
Historical Confidence ★★★★★ — modern rules are well established

Artisanal Leather Care

Your genuine leather board is naturally resistant to wear. If needed, gently wipe with a dry or slightly damp microfibre cloth. Treat occasionally with neutral leather conditioner to maintain suppleness. Keep stored in its drawstring pouch away from direct heat sources.