Checkers is a classic board game played on an 8x8 square board, similar to a chessboard. Each player starts with 12 pieces, usually colored black and red, placed on the dark squares of the board. The objective is to capture all of the opponent's pieces or block them so they cannot make a move. Players take turns moving their pieces diagonally forward. If a piece lands on a square occupied by an opponent's piece, it captures that piece and removes it from the board. When a piece reaches the last row on the opponent's side, it is "kinged" and gains the ability to move both forward and backward.