Though checkers and chess have been around for centuries as popular board games, the difference between them cannot be starker. The main distinction is that while chess requires complex strategy making and an understanding of your opponent’s moves, checkers is a game driven by luck. This write-up will look at some common differences between these two board games.
Chart Summary
| CHECKERS | CHESS |
| All piece has the same movement | Each piece has its movement |
| Players can make only one type of capture | Multiple types of capture are allowed |
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Definition
Chess is a mind game that dates back to the 6th century in the “Gupta Empire” of India. The basic rule is that chess is played between two people. Each side receives 16 pieces of 6 different types. The game aims to trap the opponent’s king so that he has no legal moves to escape the last move.
Checkers or draughts is a two-player board game that has been around for many years, dating back to 3000 BC. It is also known as Straight Checkers or American Checkers. The goal of checkers is to be the player with the most pieces left on the board. In other words, you must aim to eliminate your opponent’s pieces.
Checkers vs. Chess
The goal of chess is to trap the opponent’s king and make the final move, while the purpose of checkers is to be the last player with the most pieces left on the board. Each chess piece has its own move, while in checkers, all pieces have the same movement. The captures allowed in chess and checkers are very different.
In the game of checkers, a player can usually only make one capture, while in chess, multiple captures are allowed. This is mainly due to the different rules assigned to each type of piece in chess.