How to Play Lines of Action
Lines of Action was invented by Claude Soucie in the 1960s and became a classic through Sid Sackson's A Gamut of Games. Checkers pieces, a chess board, and a goal that is neither capture nor race: gather your pieces into one group.
Setup
An 8×8 board. Black has twelve pieces on the top and bottom edges, White twelve on the left and right. The corners are empty. Black moves first.
Moving
- A piece moves in a straight line (eight directions) exactly as many squares as there are pieces on that entire line, counting both colours and itself.
- It may jump over its own pieces but not over enemy pieces.
- It may land on an enemy piece, capturing it. It may not land on its own.
Winning
The first player whose pieces are all connected (each touching another horizontally, vertically or diagonally) wins. A single remaining piece is connected. If one move connects both sides, the mover wins.
Playing on kawu
Tap a piece to see where it can go, then tap the square. Play Black or White against the computer (three levels), or two players on one device. Hint marks the computer's move; the group count for both sides is shown under the board.
Next, read the Lines of Action strategy.
Frequently asked questions
Do enemy pieces count toward the move distance?
Yes. Count every piece on the whole line, both colours, including the moving piece. That number is exactly how far it travels.
What if I have no legal move?
It almost never happens, but if it does the turn passes back to the opponent.
What if both sides become connected on the same move?
The player who made the move wins.
Last updated 2026-10-21