Checkers King Rules — How Kings Move and Capture
How to get a king, exactly how a king moves and jumps, and how many spaces it can travel — the complete checkers king rules.
A king in checkers moves one square diagonally in any direction — forward or backward. It is created when a regular piece reaches the far side of the board, and unlike a regular piece, it can capture both forwards and backwards. Getting a king is usually the turning point of a game.
How to Get a King in Checkers
A regular piece is promoted to a king the moment it reaches the last row on the opponent's side of the board — the king row (also called the crownhead). The piece is then crowned: on a physical board you stack a captured piece on top of it; in our online checkers game it gains a crown symbol.
One important detail in American Checkers: promotion ends your turn immediately. If a piece becomes a king part-way through a jump sequence, it stops on the king row and cannot keep jumping until your next turn.
How Does a King Move in Checkers?
A king moves one square diagonally in any of the four directions: forward-left, forward-right, backward-left, or backward-right. This is the single biggest upgrade in the game, because a regular piece can only ever move diagonally forward.
- Movement is always diagonal, onto an empty dark square.
- A king can retreat — regular pieces never can.
- Kings still cannot move onto a square occupied by another piece, and cannot jump their own pieces.
How Many Spaces Can a King Move?
In American Checkers, a king moves exactly one space per turn. It does not slide across the board. The only time a king covers more ground in a single turn is during a multi-jump capture, where it can chain several jumps together and change direction between them.
This is the most common point of confusion, because a different game — International Draughts — uses long-range "flying kings." In standard checkers, one square is the rule. See the comparison below.
How a King Captures
A king captures the same way it moves — diagonally — but it can jump in all four directions, including backward. This makes kings devastating attackers:
- A king jumps an adjacent opponent piece by landing on the empty square directly beyond it.
- Kings follow the mandatory jump rule — if a capture is available, the king must take it.
- A king can mix forward and backward jumps in a single multi-jump chain, which is how kings clear several pieces at once.
- Kings can still be captured — they have no special protection.
King vs. Flying King (International Draughts)
| American Checkers king | International Draughts "flying king" | |
|---|---|---|
| Board | 8×8 | 10×10 |
| Move distance | One square diagonally | Any number of empty squares diagonally |
| Capture range | Adjacent piece, land just beyond | Can capture a piece several squares away |
| Direction | All four diagonals | All four diagonals |
Our game uses standard American Checkers rules, so kings move one square at a time. For the full ruleset, see the complete checkers rules, and to put kings to work, read our checkers strategy guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a king move in checkers?
One square diagonally in any direction — forward or backward, left or right.
How many spaces can a king move in checkers?
One space per turn in American Checkers. It only travels further when chaining jumps in a multi-jump capture.
How do you get a king in checkers?
Move a regular piece to the last row on your opponent's side — the king row — and it is crowned.
Can a king move backwards?
Yes. Moving and capturing backward is the king's defining advantage over a regular piece.
Can a king be captured?
Yes. Any piece can jump a king if the square beyond it is empty — kings are powerful but not protected.
