How does scoring & winning work in Draughts (International)?

Verdict

A game ends in one of two results: a win for one player and a loss for the other, or a draw (7.1, 7.1.1, 7.1.2); A player wins when the opponent resigns, with or without reason (7.2.1); A player wins when the opponent has the move but cannot move because all pieces are blocked (7.2.2)

Why people argue about this

People often assume that a game ends in a draw if both players are blocked, which is incorrect according to the rules; they actually specify a player wins under that scenario (7.2.2), not a draw. The confusion arises because this rule isn't explicitly stated and could be easily overlooked or misinterpreted as a draw condition.

Send this to your friend — argument over.

5. Scoring & Winning

Results

A game ends in one of two results: a win for one player and a loss for the other, or a draw (7.1, 7.1.1, 7.1.2)
A player wins when the opponent resigns, with or without reason (7.2.1)
A player wins when the opponent has the move but cannot move because all pieces are blocked (7.2.2)
A player wins when the opponent has no pieces left (7.2.3)
A player wins when the opponent refuses to comply with the rules (7.2.4)
A draw arises by mutual consent, or when the drawing rules apply (7.3, 7.3.1, 7.3.2)

Draw Rules

Threefold repetition — the same position occurring a third time with the same player to move is a draw (6.1)
25-move rule — if only kings move for 25 successive moves each, with no man moved and no capture, the game is drawn (6.2)
16-move endings — with three kings, two kings and a man, or one king and two men against a lone king, each side may play at most 16 further moves; a capture during them does not reset the count (6.3)
If the lone king occupies the long diagonal, that allowance drops to 5 moves (6.3)
Two kings, king and man, or king against king is drawn after 5 further moves each (6.4)
The exception that decides games: if the last of those moves produces a position lost under 7.2.2 or 7.2.3 — the opponent is blocked or has no pieces — that takes precedence and the game is a loss, not a draw (6.3, 6.4)

Notation

Because the active squares are numbered 1 to 50, every move can be recorded and a whole game replayed or transcribed (8.1, 2.6)
Write the starting square then the arrival square (8.2.1)
Separate them with a hyphen for a simple move (8.2.2) and a cross for a capture (8.2.3)
Move-quality signs: ! strong, !! very strong, ? weak, ?? very weak (9.1.3–9.1.6)
?! marks a move that looks weak but is strong; !? the reverse (9.1.7, 9.1.8)
* marks a forced move, any alternative losing (9.1.9); + a win and = a draw (9.1.10, 9.1.11)
+1, +2 record men won and -1, -2 men lost after the final move (9.1.12, 9.1.13)
a.l. (ad libitum) indicates a free choice between captures of the same result (9.1.14)

5. Scoring & Winning

Results

A game ends in one of two results: a win for one player and a loss for the other, or a draw (7.1, 7.1.1, 7.1.2)

A player wins when the opponent resigns, with or without reason (7.2.1)

A player wins when the opponent has the move but cannot move because all pieces are blocked (7.2.2)

A player wins when the opponent has no pieces left (7.2.3)

A player wins when the opponent refuses to comply with the rules (7.2.4)

A draw arises by mutual consent, or when the drawing rules apply (7.3, 7.3.1, 7.3.2)

Draw Rules

Threefold repetition — the same position occurring a third time with the same player to move is a draw (6.1)

25-move rule — if only kings move for 25 successive moves each, with no man moved and no capture, the game is drawn (6.2)

16-move endings — with three kings, two kings and a man, or one king and two men against a lone king, each side may play at most 16 further moves; a capture during them does not reset the count (6.3)

If the lone king occupies the long diagonal, that allowance drops to 5 moves (6.3)

Two kings, king and man, or king against king is drawn after 5 further moves each (6.4)

The exception that decides games: if the last of those moves produces a position lost under 7.2.2 or 7.2.3 — the opponent is blocked or has no pieces — that takes precedence and the game is a loss, not a draw (6.3, 6.4)

Notation

Because the active squares are numbered 1 to 50, every move can be recorded and a whole game replayed or transcribed (8.1, 2.6)

Write the starting square then the arrival square (8.2.1)

Separate them with a hyphen for a simple move (8.2.2) and a cross for a capture (8.2.3)

Move-quality signs: ! strong, !! very strong, ? weak, ?? very weak (9.1.3–9.1.6)

?! marks a move that looks weak but is strong; !? the reverse (9.1.7, 9.1.8)

* marks a forced move, any alternative losing (9.1.9); + a win and = a draw (9.1.10, 9.1.11)

+1, +2 record men won and -1, -2 men lost after the final move (9.1.12, 9.1.13)

a.l. (ad libitum) indicates a free choice between captures of the same result (9.1.14)

5. Scoring & Winning