Harzdame

• Board
• Objective
• Play
• Captures

Harzdame is played on a common 8x8 checkerboard.

The initial position of dark and light checkers is shown in the following picture:

Players move alternately, starting with the player with the light checkers.

Ordinary checkers can move one square forward or to the right, from the respective player's point of view.

When an ordinary checker ends its move in the promotion area it is turned into a king.  The promotion area for the light checkers are the squares C8-H8 and the squares H3-H7.  The promotion area for the dark checkers are the squares A1-A6 and the squares B1-F1.  If an ordinary checker reaches the promotion area by capturing an enemy piece (i.e. by jumping over it) and it can continue to capture backward an additional enemy piece (or pieces) as an ordinary checker then the move should be continued and this checker is not promoted to a king.

Kings can move any number of squares horizonally or vertically (exactly like a rook in Chess).  Kings cannot jump over their own pieces or over two or more enemy pieces standing one after another.

Neither ordinary checkers nor kings can land on an occupied square.

An ordinary checker can capture an enemy piece standing on a horizontally or vertically adjacent square if the next square in the same direction is empty.  The capture is made by jumping over this enemy piece and placing your own checker on the next empty square.  The captured enemy piece is removed from the board at the end of the move.  If the same player's checker can continue capturing another enemy piece then it must do so.

A king can capture an enemy piece standing on the same horizontal or vertical line if there are no other pieces between them and the next square or squares in the same direction are empty too.  The capture is made by jumping over this enemy piece and placing the king on any of the next empty squares.  If the same player's king can continue capturing another enemy piece then it must do so.

A multiple capture must be completed before the captured pieces are removed.  In the course of a multiple capture the capturing piece may visit a vacant square more than once (going roundabout), but it may not jump the same piece more than once.

Capturing is mandatory.  This means that if the player can capture an enemy piece (or pieces) on his turn then he must do so.

Majority capture precedes: if a player has a choice of jump sequences then he must choose the sequence that captures the most enemy pieces (a king counting as one piece).