Checkers

Two players, one board full of diagonal lines and a handful of pieces. In Checkers, it is all about thinking ahead. You move your pieces diagonally, just one square per turn. Do you see one of your opponent's pieces right next to you, with an empty square behind it? Then you jump over it and take it off the board. Handy, because that is how you work your way to victory step by step. The fun is in the choices. Jumping is mandatory when you can, so sometimes you lure your opponent into a trap. You sacrifice one piece, and in return you take two or three afterwards. Whoever reads the board best wins. You do that by taking all of the other player's pieces, or by boxing him in so that no move is possible any more. Checkers is a game you play straight out of the box. The rules are explained in a few minutes, so even the youngest player joins in right away. Still, you keep growing in it, because every game asks for a little more overview. Perfect for a quiet evening at the table, together with someone you love to beat.