Definition

Noun: 1. A board game for two players: A strategy game played on a checkerboard (typically 8x8 squares) with 12 pieces per player. The primary objective is to capture all of the opponent's pieces by jumping over them with one's own pieces.

Usage

• Draughts is a popular game in many countries, with slightly different rules known as "checkers" in North America.
• The word is used with a singular verb when referring to the game itself.
• Example: "Draughts is a game of skill and strategy." / "Let's play a game of draughts."

Examples

• He taught his grandson how to play draughts.
• In international draughts, the board has 100 squares.
• A good strategy in draughts often involves sacrificing a piece to gain a positional advantage.

Advanced Usage

• A draughts problem: A composed puzzle where the player must find a specific sequence of moves to achieve a win or a draw.
• Example: "He spent the evening trying to solve a difficult draughts problem from the newspaper."

Variants and Related Words

• Checkers: (Noun) The common name for this game in the United States and Canada.
• Draughtsman (plural: Draughtsmen): (Noun) A piece used in the game of draughts.
  • Example: "He moved his draughtsman forward diagonally."
• Draughtboard: (Noun) The checkerboard used for playing draughts.

Synonyms

• Checkers (primarily US/Canada)

Notes on Meaning

• Draughts vs. Drafts: In American English, the word "draft" has many meanings (e.g., a preliminary version, a current of air, conscription), but the board game is almost exclusively called "checkers." The spelling "draughts" for the game is standard in British English and other Commonwealth countries.
• The core, singular concept is the game itself. The plural form "draughts" does not typically refer to multiple individual instances of the game but is the name of the activity.

Noun

1. a checkerboard game for two players who each have 12 pieces; the object is to jump over and so capture the opponent's pieces