Deferred capture -- a revelation in checkers games

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MLWi
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 11:12
Real name: Mats Winther

Deferred capture -- a revelation in checkers games

Post by MLWi » Wed May 31, 2017 07:42

The concept of deferred capture has proved fruitful. In Vanguard Draughts a Man cannot immediately capture backwards if an enemy Man just moved there. Such a momentarily invulnerable Man is called "vanguard". It allows breakthroughs and attacks from behind.

It has similar effect as in Stockholm Checkers and Draughts with Deferred Backwards Capture, where a Man that stands still can never capture backwards. This rule allows breakthroughs, but not attacks from behind.

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MLWi
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 11:12
Real name: Mats Winther

Re: Deferred capture -- a revelation in checkers games

Post by MLWi » Wed May 31, 2017 07:45

In Frisian Draughts 2.0, the concept is instead used to make the Man stronger. Unlike in traditional Frisian Draughts where orthogonal capture is always allowed, it is not allowable for pieces that stand still. It is kind of natural. A piece that gains momentum becomes stronger, like a rugby or hockey player. (Continues...)

MLWi
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 11:12
Real name: Mats Winther

Re: Deferred capture -- a revelation in checkers games

Post by MLWi » Wed May 31, 2017 07:47

Also in Swedish Draughts, orthogonal capture is deferred, but only permissible in directions north, east and west (never south). Thus, it is like Spanish checkers, insofar as a piece has not gained the momentum to capture orthogonally.

English Long Checkers introduces deferred leapfrog capture. A Man can capture a distant piece, in the forward diagonal directions, but not from standstill. It must always land immediately behind the captured piece, also during sequential capture. (Continues...)

MLWi
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 11:12
Real name: Mats Winther

Re: Deferred capture -- a revelation in checkers games

Post by MLWi » Wed May 31, 2017 07:50

In Leapfrog Checkers a Frog (Man) and a Toad (King) can perform this long jump provided that the enemy piece didn't move just before. So this is the other form of deferral. Otherwise it's the same as English/American checkers. How to get children interested in checkers games? Let them play with long-jumping Frogs and Toads on an 8x8 board, where the squares represent water-lily leaves. At least on the bigger boards, it is clearly a challenging game, although it develops faster than traditional checkers variants.

In the topmost variants the Man is somewhat weaker. In Accelerated Draughts it is stronger. Adding deferred leapfrog capture to International Draughts makes it a remarkably dynamic game. It is suitable for any board size. The bigger the board, the more will the rule contribute to rapidness of play development. In the following diagram, Black sacrifices five Men, only to capture five enemy Men back. Since play takes place over the whole board, it makes sense to play on such a big board (South African Dumm board, 14x14).

Mats Winther

Image

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