What is gameplay in Checkers?

Verdict

An ordinary move of a man is its transfer diagonally forward, left or right, to an immediately neighbouring vacant square (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section One).; All capturing moves are compulsory, whether offered actively or passively — the single rule most often played wrong casually (WCDF Rule...

Why people argue about this

People often assume that capturing moves are optional in Checkers, thinking they can passively avoid them if they don't want to. However, the official verdict clearly states that all capturing moves must be made, regardless of whether an opponent offers a move or not. This rule is indeed most commonly misunderstood as being optional rather than compulsory.

Send this to your friend — argument over.

Section 4: Gameplay

An ordinary move of a man is its transfer diagonally forward, left or right, to an immediately neighbouring vacant square (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section One).
All capturing moves are compulsory, whether offered actively or passively — the single rule most often played wrong casually (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section One).
Multiple jumps must be completed; a player may not stop part-way through a capture sequence (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section One).
A man reaching the king-row becomes a king, and this completes the turn of play — a newly crowned king cannot continue jumping until its next turn (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section One).
Kings move and capture diagonally both forward and backward (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section One).
A player who cannot move loses the game (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section One).
Clock use is governed separately, with a first period of 30 moves per hour and subsequent periods of 15 moves per half-hour (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section Two).
In the Master Division, matches use clocks set to 90 minutes, or 80 minutes plus a 10-second increment (ACF National Tournament Rules, Section One, X.A.a).
Major and Minor divisions may use clocks or the five-minute rule, with "one minute per move" as the fallback (ACF National Tournament Rules, Section One, X.B).
Games are recorded on a score-sheet under defined conditions (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section Three).
Player conduct is regulated separately (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section Four), as is spectator conduct (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section Five).

Section 4: Gameplay

An ordinary move of a man is its transfer diagonally forward, left or right, to an immediately neighbouring vacant square (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section One).

All capturing moves are compulsory, whether offered actively or passively — the single rule most often played wrong casually (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section One).

Multiple jumps must be completed; a player may not stop part-way through a capture sequence (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section One).

A man reaching the king-row becomes a king, and this completes the turn of play — a newly crowned king cannot continue jumping until its next turn (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section One).

Kings move and capture diagonally both forward and backward (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section One).

A player who cannot move loses the game (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section One).

Clock use is governed separately, with a first period of 30 moves per hour and subsequent periods of 15 moves per half-hour (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section Two).

In the Master Division, matches use clocks set to 90 minutes, or 80 minutes plus a 10-second increment (ACF National Tournament Rules, Section One, X.A.a).

Major and Minor divisions may use clocks or the five-minute rule, with "one minute per move" as the fallback (ACF National Tournament Rules, Section One, X.B).

Games are recorded on a score-sheet under defined conditions (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section Three).

Player conduct is regulated separately (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section Four), as is spectator conduct (WCDF Rules of Draughts, Section Five).

Section 4: Gameplay