 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Checkers Clock © 1999 by Pressman Toy Corporation 14" in diameter |
| Checkers is a classic board game with an ancient history. I made this clock from a steel board with plastic checkers. It is set up as if it's ready to play. I haven't had time to make these clocks lately, but please read my article about the game: How To Play 6 More Games With Checkers You’ve probably played the classic board game of checkers. I’d like to introduce you to several different games you can play with your checkers set - even a game of solitaire. Let's start with a brief history... A Checkered Past Origins of checkers possibly date back to 3,000 B.C. Beginning around 1400 B.C. a game called Alquerque was played in Ancient Egypt on a board with 5 x 5 squares. It was a very popular game for thousands of years. The switch to a board with 8 x 8 squares was around 1100 B.C. when a Frenchman played the game of Alquerque on a Chess board. Soon after, the rule was added that if you have an opportunity to make a jump, you must do so. The game was called “Draughts” in Great Britain and then known as “Checkers” in America. You may read the History of Checkers or Draughts for a more detailed and thorough history. How to Play the Regular Game of Checkers Before I tell you about other games to play with checkers, let’s refresh our memories on the regular game. Each of the two players has 12 men on the dark squares of the first 3 rows on each side of the board, as shown. You try to capture all of your opponent’s men or block them so they can’t move. You move diagonally forward, jumping and capturing your opponent’s men when possible. When you make it to the opposite side of the board, known as “King’s Row” you get “crowned” by adding another checker piece to yours. Now this king can move any direction. For more detailed instructions, you may read the General Rules for Checkers. 6 More Games to Play With Checkers I found the first 5 of the following games with my Checkers game from Pressman. Triangular Checkers In Triangular Checkers, you set up the board as shown, with your men in a triangle shape. As in regular Checkers, the object is to remove your opponent’s men. You play the game like Checkers, except your men can move either forward or sideways and you must get a man in your opponent’s black corner square to be crowned as king. Shifting Triangles These triangles are set up with 10 men in a triangle as shown in the picture. The object is to move your men to form a triangle on the other side of the board, where your opponent’s men are beginning. You may jump your opponent’s men or your own men, but you do not remove the ones you jump. It’s just a way for you to get your men closer to their destination. Royalty This is more of a racing game, starting with your 12 men in a 3 x 4 rectangle in the lower right corner of the board like the picture shows. The object is to get all of your checkers to the opposite corner of the board in the starting position of your opponent’s pieces. Instead of moving diagonally, you can only move forward or to the side. You may jump your opponent’s pieces, but you don’t remove them. Checker Bingo This game is similar to the idea of Connect Four. The players take turns laying one checker on any space on the board. The object is to have five in a row (horizontally, vertically or diagonally) before your opponent, so you’ll probably have to block some of their attempts at winning. Puzzle Hop You can even play this solitaire game with your checkers board. You begin with all 24 checkers on the black squares around the edge of the board like the picture shows. You move diagonally and jump the checkers to remove them and try to end up with only one left on the board. Giveaway Checkers With this game, the object is to lose. You set up the game as in regular checkers, but you try to force your opponent to capture you and block your men from making future moves. If you love unusual things like I do, you'd like the Checkers at USAopoly. They have Coca-Cola ® Checkers, Elvis Checkers, I Love Lucy Checkers, NASCAR Checkers. I bought the NHL Checkers for my hockey-fan cousins and they were a big hit. |
 | |  | |  |
| © 2004-2005 Kelly Tompkins Enid, Oklahoma |