How do you set up a checkers board?

Rotate the 8x8 board so a dark playable square is in your bottom-left corner (and the Double Corner of two dark squares is on your bottom-right). Place 12 Black pieces on the dark squares of the first three rows on one side, and 12 Red (or White) pieces on the dark squares of the first three rows on the opposite side, leaving the middle two rows completely empty.

Which color goes first in checkers, Red or Black?

Under official World Checkers & Draughts Federation (WCDF) and American Checkers Federation (ACF) rules, Black (the darker pieces) ALWAYS moves first. Red (or White) always moves second. In multi-game matches, players swap colors after every game.

Do checkers go on the black or red squares?

Checkers are placed and played exclusively on the 32 dark squares of the 64-square board. On a traditional red-and-black board, play takes place on the black squares so the pieces contrast clearly; on a tournament green-and-buff board, play takes place on the dark green squares.

How are squares numbered 1 to 32 on a checkers board?

Only the 32 dark playable squares are numbered, starting from Black's back row (squares 1, 2, 3, 4 from left to right when viewed from Red's side, or top-to-bottom in standard PDN diagrams) down to Red/White's back row (squares 29, 30, 31, 32). Black occupies squares 1–12 at the start of the game, squares 13–20 are empty, and Red/White occupies squares 21–32.

📜 Official WCDF Setup • 1–32 PDN Map 📅 Updated October 18, 2026 ⏱️ 6 min read

How to Set Up a Checkers Board, Who Goes First & 1–32 Board Numbering

⚡ Quick Summary (Official WCDF Checkers Setup):
1. Board Orientation: Rotate the 8×8 board so a dark playable square is in your bottom-left corner (and a light square is in your bottom-right corner).
2. Piece Placement: Place 12 Black pieces on the dark squares of the first 3 rows (`1–12`), and 12 Red/White pieces on the dark squares of the opposite 3 rows (`21–32`). Leave the middle 2 rows empty.
3. Who Goes First? Black ALWAYS moves first in official checkers. Red/White moves second.

1. The 3 Golden Rules of Setting Up a Checkers Board

Almost 50% of casual home checkers games start with the board rotated 90 degrees the wrong way! If the board is rotated sideways, the famous Single Corner and Double Corner swap places, completely changing opening theory and endgame traps. Follow these three steps every time:

1️⃣ Dark Square in Bottom-Left

Look at the row closest to you. The bottom-left corner square must be a dark playable square. This places your protected Double Corner on your right-hand side.

2️⃣ 12 Pieces on Dark Squares Only

Every player starts with 12 checkers placed exclusively on the dark squares of the first three ranks (4 pieces per row × 3 rows = 12 pieces).

3️⃣ Middle 2 Rows Empty

Rows 4 and 5 (squares 13–20) remain empty at the start of the game so both sides have room to advance diagonally on move 1.

2. Which Color Goes First in Checkers? (Black vs. Red)

Under official World Checkers & Draughts Federation (WCDF) and American Checkers Federation (ACF) tournament laws:

⚫ Black (the darker pieces) ALWAYS moves first.
🔴 Red / White (the lighter pieces) ALWAYS moves second.
Why does Black move first in checkers when White moves first in chess? Historically, 18th- and 19th-century British draughts treatises standardized Black as the first player, and every world championship match (including Marion Tinsley vs. Chinook) has followed this law.
Exception in Russian Checkers (Шашки) & Brazilian Checkers (Damas 8×8): In Russian and Brazilian rules, White moves first while Black moves second. Our AI Checkers Solver and 24 AI Bots Arena handle both conventions automatically!

3. Official 1–32 Checkers Board Numbering Diagram (PDN Map)

Because checkers is played exclusively on the 32 dark squares, checkers notation (Portable Draughts Notation, or PDN) numbers those 32 dark squares from 1 to 32. Below is the official tournament numbering map with starting pieces and the 4 golden center squares (14, 15, 18, 19) highlighted in gold:

4. Single Corner vs. Double Corner Explained

The Single Corner (Squares 4 and 29): The bottom-left dark square for each player has only one diagonal exit path (`29-25` or `4-8`). Because a lone King trapped in the Single Corner has only one escape diagonal, Payne's Single Corner Endgame can trap and capture an enemy King in just 3 moves.
The Double Corner (Squares 1, 5 and 28, 32): The right-hand side of your board has two adjacent dark squares (`28` and `32`, or `1` and `5`) where a King can rock back and forth between two safe squares. Defending the Double Corner is essential in endgame play.
The Golden Back Row (`1–4` and `29–32`): Keep your back-row squares occupied as long as possible (especially the "Bridge" on squares `1 & 3` or `30 & 32`) so your opponent cannot crown an early King!