Checkers - Checkers (English spelling)

Japanese: チェッカー - ちぇっかー（英語表記）checkers

A type of board game played by two people. It is somewhat similar to the Japanese game of hasami shogi. Its origins are ancient, and it is said to have originated in Egypt several thousand years before Christ, and it is also mentioned in Homer's Odyssey.

Since similar games exist in many countries, it is difficult to unify the rules, and there are international rules (used in Poland and other countries, using a large 10x10 board), but here we will explain checkers (called draughts in the UK), which is widely played in the UK, US, and Japan. The basic rules are not very different, so by knowing these, it is easy to master similar games.

[Higashi Kohei]

Equipment and Method

The board is an 8x8 square with 64 squares, with a checkerboard pattern of varying shades (see the "Chess" entry). The white squares are placed in the front right corner, and only black squares are used. There are 12 red and 12 black pieces, all of which are flat and cylindrical ( Figure A ). Black plays first, and the pieces are played alternately, one move at a time, and the player who captures all of the opponent's pieces wins. There are also draws.

[1] How to move your piece: Only move forward, one step at a time diagonally. If you move to the very back of the opponent's camp, you will become a king and will be able to retreat.

[2] How to capture a piece If there is an opponent's piece diagonally next to you and there is an empty space beyond it, you can jump over it and take it (right side of Diagram B (1)). You can take any number of pieces in succession (on the left side of Diagram B (1) you can take three pieces in one move). You must take all the pieces you can take. If there are two or more moves you can take, you can take any piece you want, but if there are many pieces you can take you must choose that one (in Diagram B (2) you take the two on the left). When you become a king, two pieces are displayed on top of each other. When you become a king, you must stop for a moment, even if there is a piece you can take by retreating next (you cannot take three pieces at once in Diagram B (2)).

[Higashi Kohei]

[References] | Chess

Arrangement of checker pieces (Figure A)
©Shogakukan ">

Arrangement of checker pieces (Figure A)

How to capture checker pieces (Figure B)
©Shogakukan ">

How to capture checker pieces (Figure B)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

2人で行う盤上競技の一種。日本の挟み将棋にやや似ている。起源は古く、紀元前数千年のエジプトに原型があったといわれ、ホメロスの『オデュッセイア』にも記述がある。

　多くの国に同系のゲームが存在するためルールの統一が困難で、いちおう国際ルール（ポーランドなどで行われていて、10×10の広い盤を使う）があるが、ここではイギリス、アメリカ、日本で広く行われているチェッカー（イギリスではドラフツdraughtsという）を解説する。基本的なルールには大差はないので、これを知ることで同類をマスターするのは容易である。

［東　公平］

用具と競技方法

盤は8×8の正方形で、64枡(ます)。濃淡の市松(いちまつ)模様（「チェス」の項参照）。右手前に白枡がくるように置き、黒枡だけを使う。駒(こま)は赤と黒各12個で平たい円筒形（図A）。黒が先手で1手ずつ交互に動かし、相手の駒を全部取ったほうの勝ち。引き分けもある。

〔1〕駒の動かし方　斜め前に1歩ずつ、前進だけ。相手陣のいちばん奥に入るとキングに成り、後退もできるようになる。

〔2〕駒の取り方　斜め隣に相手の駒があり、その向こうが空所であれば、飛び越えてこれを取る（図B(1)の右）。何個でも連続して取れる（図B(1)の左では1手で3個取れる）。取れる駒はかならず取らねばならない。取る手が二つ以上あれば任意の駒を取るが、数多く取れる場合はそのほうを選ばねばならない（図B(2)では左の2個を取る）。キングに成ると駒を2個重ねて表示する。キングに成ったときは、次に後退して取れる駒があっても、いったん停止せねばならない（図B(2)で一度に3個取ることはできない）。

［東　公平］

[参照項目] | チェス

チェッカーの駒の並べ方〔図A〕

チェッカーの駒の取り方〔図B〕

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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