What is Frisian draughts?
Frisian draughts is played on the 10×10 board with 20 men a side, set out as in international draughts. Pieces still move diagonally, but they capture in eight directions: diagonally and also straight along rows and columns, jumping a piece on the next dark square in that line.
Capturing is compulsory, and you must take the capture with the highest value. A king counts for more than a man but less than two men; when two captures are worth the same, a king must make the capture rather than a man.
Kings fly, but with men still on the board a player may move the same king at most three times in a row without capturing.
Rule changes
| Rule | Standard Int'l Draughts | Frisian draughts |
|---|---|---|
| Capturing | Standard Int'l DraughtsDiagonally only, forwards and backwards. | Frisian draughtsDiagonally, and also straight along rows and columns, forwards and backwards. |
| Choosing a capture | Standard Int'l DraughtsYou must take the most pieces; kings and men count the same. | Frisian draughtsYou must take the most value: a king is worth more than one man but less than two. On a tie, a king must capture. |
| Kings | Standard Int'l DraughtsFly freely along the diagonals. | Frisian draughtsFly too, but while you still have men the same king may make no more than three plain moves in a row. |
| Draws | Standard Int'l DraughtsThreefold repetition; 25 moves each with only kings moving and no capture; lone-king endgame limits of 5 and 16 moves. | Frisian draughtsNo repetition rule. Two kings against one draw after 7 moves each, and one king against one after 2 moves each. |
History
Frisian draughts comes from Friesland, in the north of the Netherlands, where it has been played for several centuries; it is one of the oldest draughts games still played.
Frisian draughts players keep the game alive with clubs, championships and a published rulebook, last revised in 2011, and it is regarded as one of the most tactical games of the draughts family.