Checkers Players:
Following are the final draft of APCA rules posted,
considered, maintained and revised by our Rules Committee, chaired by Mr. Charles Thompson of
APCA RULES
Rule 1. The standard board must have only 32 dark and 32 light squares – each square not less than 2 inches nor more than 2 ½ inches. For tournament play the board must not be less than 16 inches across, nor more than 20 inches. The light squares must be buff, the dark squares green.
Rule 2. The board must be placed so that the bottom corner square on the left hand side shall be dark.
Rule 3. The standard men, technically described as black and white, must be light and dark, round turned, and each not less than 1¼ inch, nor more than 1½ inch wide. For tournament play the pieces must be red and white.
Rule 4. The men must be placed on the dark squares and played on the dark squares.
Rule 5. The black or darker men must always be placed on the first twelve dark squares of the board, and the white or lighter men must always be placed on the last twelve dark squares of the board. Additionally, no game can start unless all men are properly placed on their designated squares. It is each player’s responsibility to see that their own checkers are on the proper squares.
Rule 6. Each player shall take turns in playing the black and white men. The color choosing should be done only once-at the beginning of the session. If necessary, the participants shall use a method that is agreed upon by both in making this determination. If no agreement can be reached, an official must be summoned to make the determination. The official can use whatever equitable means he chooses to do so.
Rule 7. The first move must always be made by the person having the black men.
Rule 8. After the first move and during the progress of the game, any apparent delay or improper moving should be called to the attention of the referee. The referee can determine what action will be used. That would include institution of clock or forfeiture if the incidents(s) warrants it
Rule 9. The tournament director or his designee shall be able to institute clocks where there are incidents that necessitate it. Additionally, clocks at tournament games are not mandatory. They will only be used when the tournament officials determine they are necessary. The tournament official can determine that both players be placed on the clock and that both players, using double clocks, have 20 minutes to finish a particular game when one player complains about too much time is being used. (This will negate the requirement of recording, which would be necessary, if an arbitrary number of moves in minutes are to be instituted.)
Rule 10. When a false, improper, or illegal move is made, it is called to the opponent’s attention, and a proper or legal move must be made. Improper moving include, the failure to capture when possible or the failure to complete a jump. The player who continues to make false, improper, or illegal moves shall be brought to the attention of the referee. The referee will make the determination that the offending player’s future actions(s) are such that it/they will cause forfeiture.
Rule 11. Either player may, upon giving satisfactory notice to his opponent, arrange his own or his opponent’s pieces properly on the squares. If either player touches or arranges any piece without giving satisfactory notice to his opponent, he shall be cautioned for the first offense and shall forfeit the game if he refuses to move that piece if it happens a second time. If there is a question with regards to the touching of pieces, either player has the option of calling an official to arbitrate. (It must be understood that nothing can be done about the incident in question because it would be one person’s word against the other’s). The referee’s sole responsibility will be to arbitrate any future disputes in that game. The referee’s decision , with respect to any future incident(s) shall be final.
Rule 12. If a piece is touched, it must be moved-if legally possible. (If there is a dispute about whether a piece was touched, without an official confirmation), an official must be called to arbitrate any future disagreements. It must be understood, nothing can be done about the initial charge since it was one player’s word against the other’s.
Rule 13. If a piece is “released,” on a legal square, it must remain there. (Additionally, the direction that a person’s hand is said to have been moving or the angle of a square that a piece is said to have gone over shall have no bearing on the game in American Pool Checkers.) (See Rule 29 for additional comments on this rule.)
Rule 14. The single piece moves forward only, but it may capture forward or backward.
Rule 15. The king may move forward and backward any number of squares, providing there is no checker in its path, and it may capture forward or backward any piece in its path having a vacant square immediately behind the piece to be captured.
Rule 16. A king may move diagonally forward or backward over any number of squares providing that there are no checkers in its path and may capture forward or backward any piece in its path that has a vacant diagonal square immediately behind it. It must land on any vacant square immediately behind the piece or king being captured. The king may, if it is possible, turn a corner to capture more men on the same move.
Rule 17. A single piece captures by moving over the captured piece to the vacant square behind it (the captured piece). To execute a capture the capturing piece must be on the square next to the piece to be captured, and the piece to be captured must have a vacant square immediately behind it. The captured piece is removed from the board until the game is ended.
Rule 18. A double piece(king) may capture by moving over and then as far past the captured man or men as desired. The king may, if it is possible, turn a corner to capture more men on the sane move. Behind each of the opponent’s pieces there must be a vacant square in order for those checkers to be captured. The captured pieces(s) must not be removed from the board until the jump(s) are completed. Additionally , the captured pieces(s) must remain off the board until the game is completed.
Rule 19. Captured men are removed from the board only when the capturing play is completed, at which time the hand must be withdrawn from the capturing piece. A man or king can not jump over the same man or king twice.
Rule 20. “Take –to-your-advantage”. A player may take his choice of pieces to be captured, if the player has a choice between two or more capturing moves by one of which he would take a greater number of pieces than by the other. He is not compelled to take the greater or the lesser number.
Rule 21. A player must take a “complete jump.” A complete jump is one where all possible legal pieces can be taken.
Rule 22. If a player picks his own man up off the board while capturing, he can replace it if he notices the error before his opponent has moved. If the opponent touches his piece in the process of moving, the player who picked up his man in error is denied the chance to replace it unless his opponent allows him to do so. If he refuses to put the piece back on the board, an official is called. The official can compel the player to return the piece to the board or declare forfeiture if he so determines.
Rule 23. When a man reaches, for the first time, any of the squares on the opposite extreme line of the board, technically called the “kingrow”, it becomes a “king”, providing it is not compelled to continue its jumping pattern outside of the king row). If it becomes a king, it should be crowned. After the crowning, it is the opponent’s time to move. Continued play, by either player, without the king being crowned does not negate the progress of the game. If there is no crowning (because of oversight), the crowning can only be addressed when one of the players insist on it. Consequently, an uncrowned king is till a king no matter how many moves are made without it being crowned. Either player has the responsibility of stopping play until the king is crowned.
Rule 24. If an uncrowned checker lands in the king row during its capturing play, and must continue capturing because an opposing piece is on the square immediately next to the king row with a vacant square behind it, the piece must continue capturing. When the play ends, the capturing piece is not a king unless the last move lands it in the king row again.
Rule 25. A draw game, which counts as one game played , is when neither side can force a win.
Rule 26. A win occurs when one player captures or blocks all of his opponent’s pieces or when a standard rule is violated-including that of time when the clock is used.
Rule 27. In certain end-game positions, when one of the sides appears stronger than the other, the stronger side is required to complete a win within thirty-eight moves-(if the weaker side says the number “thirty-eight,” in his counting, it’s a draw). The counting shall start with the first move of the weaker side once the weaker side announces he is instituting this Rule. Additionally, for the purpose of determining which side is the strongest, weights shall be given to the pieces. The king shall equal two points, and the single piece shall equal one point. By simply counting the points of each side, one would be able to determine which side is strongest.
Rule 28. The “13” count rule: the lone king must be caught before the player with the lone king counts to the number “thirteen.” If the player with the lone king says “thirteen,” in his counting , he has a draw. The first count starts with the first move of the lone king. This rule is used only when there are four pieces on the board, one side has to have one piece and the other side must have three pieces. All pieces must be kings.
Rule 29. Anything which may tend to annoy or to distract the attention of the players is strictly forbidden. This would include sounds or remarks, hovering over the board, raising a piece off its square and going in one direction or the other, moving a piece over the angle of a square, extremely slow play, and others. This rule should be especially applicable to Rule 13 elsewhere in theses rules. A player continuing this and/or other actions can be warned by the opposing player, who is then entitled to call an official to observe play for the duration of that game. Once an official is called, he is obligated to monitor both players for violations. The official will have the power to disqualify either (or both) players if he observes a violation that he determines merits disqualification.
Rule 30. During the game, neither player shall be permitted to leave the area without sufficient reason, or without receiving the opponent’s consent, or company.
Rule 31. Any spectator giving hints, either by sound, sign, or remarks on anyone of the games being played or about to be played shall be ordered from the area during the match. Play shall discontinue until such person or persons have left the area. The official must monitor to make sure that there are no more distractions made by that person.
Rule 32. In tournament matches, sponsored by the APCA, there shall be an even number of games played so that each player shall have the first move an equal number of times. In the case of a tie at the end, there shall be a designated number of games played. These games shall be in blocks of “two’s.” An agreement, prior to the start of the match, shall be made as to how many games will be played. For the purpose of recording the total points, a win will count for four points, a draw will count for two points, and a loss will count for zero points.
Rule 33. All players and the tournament committee are compelled to follow the rules and to carry out the penalties stated.
Rule 34. The decisions given by the tournament officials are considered to be final, but any complaining player can make a written complaint to the president and his board to address the complaint(s). The president and his board have the authority to overturn or to maintain any decision made by the officials.