What game is most like Checkers?

Onitama (2014) is the closest match to Checkers, sharing abstract strategy, grid movement, pattern movement. It rates 7.4/10 on BoardGameGeek.

What should I play if I like Checkers?

Onitama, Chess, Patchwork Winter Edition are the top-ranked alternatives to Checkers in the MeeplePick database, matched on medium-light complexity as well as mechanics. All 18 are ranked on this page with the shared mechanics shown for each.

Is Onitama harder than Checkers?

Compared with Checkers, Onitama is same complexity and ~12 min shorter (1.7 vs 1.8 complexity on BoardGameGeek's 1–5 scale).

Checkers / Similar games

18 games like Checkers

The best games like Checkers are Onitama, Chess and Patchwork Winter Edition — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Onitama shares abstract strategy, grid movement, pattern movement with Checkers.

Check Onitama price on Amazon →

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Every alternative below links to its own Checkers-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s abstract strategy / comic book / strip shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Checkers’s 1.8 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

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1. Onitama (2014)
2 players · 15–20 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium-light · See Onitama alternatives →
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Pattern Movement, Square Grid, Static Capture · 5 shared tags · 4 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (100%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · ~12 min shorter · same complexity
Check price for Onitama →
2. Chess (1475)
2 players · 60 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium-heavy · See Chess alternatives →
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Pattern Movement, Square Grid, Static Capture · 5 shared tags · 4 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (100%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · ~30 min longer · +1.9 heavier
Check price for Chess →
3. Patchwork Winter Edition (2014)
2 players · 15–30 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-light · See Patchwork Winter Edition alternatives →
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Square Grid · 2 shared tags · 1 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (25%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · about the same length · same complexity
Check price for Patchwork Winter Edition →
4. War Chest (2018)
2–4 players · 30 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium-light · See War Chest alternatives →
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement · 2 shared tags · 1 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (25%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · about the same length · +0.5 heavier
5. Quoridor Travel (1997)
2–4 players · 15 min · ★ 6.7 · Medium-light · See Quoridor Travel alternatives →
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Square Grid · 3 shared tags · 2 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (50%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · ~15 min shorter · same complexity
6. Santorini (2016)
2–4 players · 20 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-light · See Santorini alternatives →
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Square Grid · 2 shared tags · 1 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (25%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · ~10 min shorter · same complexity
7. Feudal (1967)
2–6 players · 90 min · ★ 6.0 · Medium-light
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Square Grid, Static Capture · 4 shared tags · 3 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (75%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · scales to 6 · ~60 min longer · +0.5 heavier
8. Inside Moves (1930)
2 players · 15 min · ★ 6.7 · Medium-light
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Square Grid, Static Capture · 4 shared tags · 3 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (75%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · ~15 min shorter · +0.6 heavier
9. Hive (2000)
2 players · 20 min · ★ 7.3 · Medium-light · See Hive alternatives →
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement · 2 shared tags · 1 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (25%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · ~10 min shorter · +0.6 heavier
10. Abalone Classic (1987)
2 players · 30 min · ★ 6.5 · Medium-light · See Abalone Classic alternatives →
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Static Capture · 3 shared tags · 2 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (50%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · about the same length · +0.4 heavier
11. Jungle King
2 players · 20 min · ★ 6.0 · Medium-light
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Square Grid, Static Capture · 4 shared tags · 3 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (75%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · ~10 min shorter · same complexity
12. Fire Tower (2019)
2–4 players · 15–30 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium-light
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Square Grid · 3 shared tags · 2 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (50%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · about the same length · same complexity
13. Stratego (1946)
2 players · 45 min · ★ 6.1 · Medium-light · See Stratego alternatives →
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Square Grid · 3 shared tags · 2 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (50%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · ~15 min longer · same complexity
14. Aqualin (2020)
2 players · 20 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium-light
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Square Grid · 3 shared tags · 2 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (50%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · ~10 min shorter · same complexity
15. Fox and Geese (1400)
2 players · 20 min · ★ 4.8 · Medium-light
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Square Grid, Static Capture · 4 shared tags · 3 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (75%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · ~10 min shorter · 0.2 lighter
16. Shogi (1587)
2 players · 60 min · ★ 7.4 · Medium-heavy
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Pattern Movement, Square Grid · 4 shared tags · 3 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (75%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · ~30 min longer · +2 heavier
17. Ricochet Robots (1999)
1–99 players · 30 min · ★ 7.0 · Medium-light · See Ricochet Robots alternatives →
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement · 2 shared tags · 1 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (25%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · plays solo · scales to 99 · about the same length · +0.6 heavier
18. Frogriders (2017)
2–4 players · 20–30 min · ★ 6.5 · Light
Shares with Checkers: Abstract Strategy, Grid Movement, Static Capture · 3 shared tags · 2 of Checkers’s 4 mechanics (50%)
vs Checkers: both play at 2 · scales to 4 · about the same length · 0.4 lighter

Frequently asked

What game is most like Checkers?: Onitama (2014) is the closest match to Checkers, sharing abstract strategy, grid movement, pattern movement. It rates 7.4/10 on BoardGameGeek.
What should I play if I like Checkers?: Onitama, Chess, Patchwork Winter Edition are the top-ranked alternatives to Checkers in the MeeplePick database, matched on medium-light complexity as well as mechanics. All 18 are ranked on this page with the shared mechanics shown for each.
Is Onitama harder than Checkers?: Compared with Checkers, Onitama is same complexity and ~12 min shorter (1.7 vs 1.8 complexity on BoardGameGeek's 1–5 scale).

Narrow it down

best 2-player board games · grid movement games · square grid games · static capture games

Looking for the original? See the full Checkers fact page — players, play time, age and complexity.