Holding the Cards

Games & Cards

Can You Pass in Checkers? Skipping Your Turn

In checkers, players alternate moves starting with the Black or dark pieces. What happens if you get into a situation where skipping your move would be better than making one? Can you pass?

No. You cannot pass or skip a turn. This is a checkers rule.

What Happens Next?

If you want to pass, it’s probably for one of two reasons:

  • All your moves will result in you getting jumped
  • You are blocked and have no legal move

If it’s because of the first reason you have to choose one of the undesirable moves and make it anyway. Try to figure out which one will do the least damage.

If it’s because you can’t make a legal move, you lose and the game is over! There are two ways to win a game of checkers—capturing all your opponents pieces or rendering your opponent unable to move. If a player becomes blocked, there’s no passing. They lose and the game ends.

Not to worry, though, you can set the pieces back up and start again!

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