How to Play
Hard is the full-strength computer. It searches deep into the game, looking at hundreds of thousands of positions before each move, and it judges material, kings, advanced men, the centre and its own back row. Expect it to spot two-for-one shots and to punish any piece left without cover.
Choose Dark or Light and start. There is no Undo on this level: every move stands. Tap or drag your pieces as on the other levels, and take a multi-jump one landing square at a time.
Sign in and each win you finish is sent to the leaderboard. The server doesn't take our word for it: it replays the game from its starting seed, lets the same computer answer each of your moves, and checks that you really won.
Rules
- Play is on the dark squares of an 8×8 board, twelve men a side, Dark first.
- Men step diagonally forward; kings step diagonally forward or backward, one square at a time.
- Captures are mandatory, including every further jump the capturing piece has. Men jump forward only.
- A man crowned on the last row stops there for that move.
- No moves or no pieces left means a loss. Forty moves each without a capture or a man moving, or a threefold repetition, is a draw, and draws are not ranked.
- Leaderboard order: fewest of your own moves to win first, then the faster game.
Tips & Strategy
Win short
Your score is the number of moves you needed. Once you're ahead, trade pieces and chase the last ones down instead of manoeuvring.
Guard the double corner
In the corner on your right, two dark squares sit side by side; pieces there are hard to attack. Keep a man in it until the middle game is decided.
Don't give tempo away
Every spare move you have in the endgame matters. Keep a safe waiting move in reserve so you are never forced forward into a trade.
FAQ
Is the computer the same for everyone?
Yes. It uses a fixed amount of search, not a time limit, so it plays the same way on a fast laptop and a slow phone.
Why does the game need the server at the start?
The server signs the game's seed, which settles the computer's choices between equal moves. That lets it check your win later.
Do losses show on the leaderboard?
No, only wins. Your full record on Hard, including losses and draws, stays in your browser.