Checkers Board Setup
A quick American checkers starting position, from orientation to the first move.
This checkers board setup uses the dark squares of an 8×8 board. Put 12 pieces on each side, leave the middle two rows open, and make sure the lower-left corner is dark before placing anything.
Checkers Board Setup in 4 Steps
Orient the board.
Place it so each player has a dark square at the lower-left corner. From Black's side, that corner is a1; from the opposite Red side, the near-left corner is h8. Both are dark. Each player's nearest row should include four usable dark spaces.
Use dark squares only.
Checkers stay on the dark squares for the whole game. A light square cannot hold a checker or serve as a legal landing square.
Place 12 pieces per player.
Fill the dark squares in the three rows nearest each player. Each row holds four pieces, so three rows make 12. Put one side on ranks 1–3 and the other on ranks 6–8.
Leave the middle empty.
Do not place checkers on ranks 4 or 5. These two open rows give the first pieces room to move toward each other.
How Many Pieces in Checkers
Each player starts with 12 pieces, making 24 in all. That is the standard American setup. Each side fills the three closest ranks, with four checkers on every one of those ranks.
If you are setting up physical pieces, count four dark squares across a row, then repeat for the next two rows. A quick count catches the common error of putting pieces on all 24 squares in the first three rows instead of the 12 dark squares.
Which Squares Get Pieces
Use the coordinate chart below if your board labels columns a–h and rows 1–8. The near side in this chart is Black, matching the site. Red sits opposite. Color names can differ between checkers rulebooks, but the starting pattern stays mirrored.
| Rank | Dark-square coordinates | Starting position |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | b8, d8, f8, h8 | Red pieces |
| 7 | a7, c7, e7, g7 | Red pieces |
| 6 | b6, d6, f6, h6 | Red pieces |
| 5 | a5, c5, e5, g5 | Empty |
| 4 | b4, d4, f4, h4 | Empty |
| 3 | a3, c3, e3, g3 | Black pieces |
| 2 | b2, d2, f2, h2 | Black pieces |
| 1 | a1, c1, e1, g1 | Black pieces |
These are the checkers pieces used in the starting position before the first turn. In the board game on this site, the lower side is black and black takes the first move.
Board Orientation: Does It Matter?
Yes. A correctly oriented board has a dark square at each player's lower-left corner. Turning the board 180 degrees preserves the dark-square corners and gives the same starting position, with the two sides swapped. Turning it 90 degrees puts a light square at the lower-left, so rotate it back before arranging pieces.
A standard checkers board has eight rows and eight columns. Half the squares are dark, for 32 playable spaces. The four dark spaces in each of the first three rows on both ends hold the opening pieces.
Checkers Pieces: Colors and Kings
Use 12 matching checkers pieces for each player. Physical sets may be red and white, black and red, or another contrasting pair. The labels used for the sides can differ by rulebook. On this site, the colors are black and red, with black moving first.
Keep all pieces as regular men at setup. A piece becomes a king only during play, when it reaches the far row. Sets may show a king by stacking a second checker of the same color on top or by turning over a marked checker. Do not use an opponent's captured checker as a crown. The online board shows a crown when a checker is kinged.
Quick Setup Checklist
- The board has eight rows and eight columns.
- The lower-left square for both players is dark.
- Only dark squares hold starting checkers.
- Each player has 12 pieces across the nearest three rows.
- The middle two rows remain empty.
- The opening player is identified before the first move; on this site, Black moves first.
FAQ
How many checkers does each player have?
Each player starts with 12 checkers, for 24 pieces total. Place them on the dark squares of the three rows nearest each player.
Which color moves first in checkers?
WCDF calls the dark opening side Red, often called Black in English-language literature. This site uses black discs and labels that side Black; the player at the opposite end has red discs.
Does the board have to be 8x8?
American checkers uses an 8×8 board with 32 dark squares. Other draughts games use different board sizes and setups.
How is a checkers setup different from a chess setup?
Checkers uses only dark squares and starts with 12 pieces per player. Chess uses all 64 squares and a different set of pieces and starting rows.
After setup, read the rules guide or the step-by-step guide. You can also start a game online.