Shashki (1680)

Overview

The Russian form of Checkers

The rules differ in several ways from other forms, making it a distinct game. Shashki is played on the black fields of an 8x8 board. A man (Шашка) moves forwards only, but it can capture forwards and backwards. Men are promoted to kings (Дамка, actually meaning lady) upon reaching the back row. If this happens within a capture, the piece is promoted, too, and must, if possible, carry on capturing as a king. Kings fly in movement and capture. A move may not end when there is still a capture possible, but there is no need to choose the path with the maximum number of captures. The game ends when a player cannot move, either because his pieces are blocked or because he lost them all.

Shashki was the dominant game in Russia before the rise of Chess. It is still very popular and played in tournaments. There is a plethora of variants, some of which, notably Bashni (column Shashki) and Shashki Poddavki (give-away Shashki), are played in tournaments as well.