DRAUGHTS, like chess, is a game played with " men " on a checkered board. As far as the science of the game is concerned, it falls far short of chess, but is nevertheless a favorite recreation with many classes of people. In France it is called les dames, from its having been a favorite game, with ladies; and in Scotland the-draught-board is called the dambrod.
Two persons usually play this game, each having a set of twelve men—one set black, the other white. The men may be placed either on the black or white squares, but the whole must be placed on one color only. Thus, in England, it is usual to play upon the white squares, with a black square to the lower right, and in Scotland upon the black, with a white square to the lower right. In chess, the men may be moved straight forward, sidewise, or diagonally, and over many squares at once; but in D., the men may be moved diagonally only and by one square at a time. If an enemy's man stands in the way, no move may take place unless there be a vacant square beyond into which the piece can be lifted. The man leaped over is then taken and removed from the board. The grand object
of the game is therefore, to clear the board of the enemy's men, or to hem them in so that they cannot be moved, and whichever party does so first, wins the game. As no piece can move more than one step diagonally at a time, there can be no taking till the antag onists come to close quarters; and the advancing of them cautiously into each other's neighborhood is the chief art of the game. When a man on either side has made his, way, either by taking or by a clear open path, to the opposite side of the board, he is entitled to be " crowned," which is done by placing another man on the top of him. Crowned men may move backwards or forwards, but always diagonally and by one square at a time, as before; and this additional power thus gained gives a great advantage to the player who owns the greatest number of crowned heads, and usually decides the game in his favor.