Chess & Checkers: history and strategy
Discover where the games came from. Learn what to look for on the board. Then take one new idea into your next game.
Chess: from its history to your next move
Learn a small set of habits you can use in every game, from the first development move to the last pawn.
History of chess: from chaturanga to your browser
Explore chess’s journey from India through Persia to modern play, discover how its pieces changed, and learn what that history means at the board.
Read the guide Strategy · 3 minChess opening principles for beginners
Learn to control the centre, develop pieces and castle with a purpose. A practical opening guide with an Italian Game example and a pre-move checklist.
Read the guide Strategy · 3 minChess tactics: forks, pins and skewers
Recognise forks, pins and skewers, check whether a tactic really works, and build a repeatable habit for spotting threats in beginner chess games.
Read the guide Strategy · 3 minChess endgame basics: kings, pawns and stalemate
Learn when to activate your king, how to support a passed pawn, and how to avoid stalemate when converting an advantage in a beginner chess endgame.
Read the guideCheckers, draughts and the star board
Compare capture rules, calculate forced jumps, or switch to a hopping race where the marbles stay on the board.
History of checkers: draughts, variants and computers
Discover the history of checkers and draughts, why different boards developed, and what the 2007 solution of English checkers actually means for players.
Read the guide Strategy · 3 minCheckers strategy: forced jumps and useful trades
Improve at English draughts with capture-chain checks, supported pieces, careful trades and a realistic plan for reaching the king row.
Read the guide Game guide · 3 minEnglish vs international draughts: the key differences
Compare 8×8 English checkers with 10×10 international draughts: backward captures, flying kings, majority capture and the effect on strategy.
Read the guide History & strategy · 3 minChinese checkers: history, hopping and strategy
Learn why Chinese checkers is called Sternhalma, how hop chains work, and how to move every marble across the star without leaving a straggler.
Read the guideStart with a game’s rules
Explore Chess & Checkers
Choose a game in your browser and practise one idea from these guides. See pricing for trial and subscription access.