In Shashki, a man can reach the back rank halfway through a combination and finish the same turn as a flying king.
Russian Checkers — often called Shashki — uses the same 8×8 board and 12 pieces per side as English Checkers. The resemblance ends as soon as captures begin.
Men move one diagonal square forward, but they capture forward or backward. Captures are compulsory, so a piece that appears to be behind the action may still control the next turn.
White normally advances toward the top of the board. Here the compulsory capture sends the man backward instead.
There is no maximum-capture rule. If several legal sequences are available, you may choose any of them — even when one takes fewer pieces.
White may finish on the left after one jump or take the two-piece route to the right. Russian Checkers does not force the larger total.
That makes the final square more important than the raw count. A shorter route may reach promotion, keep a diagonal closed or avoid leaving a new king exposed.
This is the rule that changes Russian combinations completely. When a capturing man reaches the back rank, it is crowned immediately. If a king capture is then available, the same piece continues with its new long-range movement.
White reaches the back rank with the first jump, becomes a flying king immediately, then continues across the long diagonal in the same turn.
Near the promotion row, calculate the position twice: first as a man reaching the edge, then as a flying king looking down every open diagonal.
A king may travel any distance along an open diagonal. To capture, it crosses one opposing piece and lands on a free square beyond it; that landing can open a continuation in a completely different direction.
Before committing to a capture, work through these three checks:
Both games use 8×8, allow backward captures by men and give kings long diagonal movement. Two details make them feel very different.
Russian Checkers lets you choose any legal capture route and activates a new king during the combination. Brazilian Checkers requires the maximum number of captures and crowns a man only when the complete move finishes on the back row.
Shashki is the common Russian name for draughts or checkers.
Twelve pieces on an 8×8 board.
Not on an ordinary move. Men may capture both forward and backward.
Yes. If a legal capture is available, an ordinary move cannot be played.
No. You may choose any legal capture sequence, regardless of its length.
Yes. A man reaching the back rank is crowned immediately and continues as a king if another capture is available.
Across any number of empty squares on an open diagonal.
Yes. Select Computer in the game setup to practise route choice and promotion combinations without creating an account.