Ink Clans: checkers where every capture is a fight

Ink Clans is a free checkers game you play in the browser. Every capture plays out as a hand-drawn martial arts fight on notebook paper. Play the computer, pass and play on one device, or send a link and play a friend online while others watch, across five rule sets and eight fighting clans.

Play nowRead the full rules

How to play

1. Pick a mode. Play vs computer, or pass and play with a friend on the same device.
2. Choose your clan and rules. Pick the clan you lead and one of five rule sets. Strict or free captures is a setting.
3. Move and capture. Fighters move one square diagonally forward and capture by jumping over an enemy. Chain several jumps in one turn.
4. Watch the fight. Every capture plays out as a fight. The jumped fighter always loses, but you pick the finisher.
5. Crown and win. Reach the far row to crown a fighter. Win when your opponent has no fighters left or no legal moves.

Full how-to-play guide

Five rule sets

Every rule set plays on the same paper board with its own capture and crowning rules. Captures can be strict (the tournament rule: take a jump when one exists and finish the chain) or free (jumps are optional and you can stop a chain).

• American

  • 8×8
  • forward captures
  • short kings

  The classic 8×8 game. Men move and capture forward only. Kings move one square.

• Brazilian

  • 8×8
  • backward captures
  • flying kings
  • max capture

  International rules on the 8×8 board. Men capture backward, kings fly, and you must take the biggest capture.

• International

  • 10×10
  • backward captures
  • flying kings
  • max capture

  The 10×10 world championship game with 20 fighters a side. Men capture backward, kings fly, biggest capture is mandatory.

• Russian

  • 8×8
  • backward captures
  • flying kings
  • crown mid-chain

  Men capture backward and kings fly. A man crowned mid-chain keeps jumping as a king. Any capture is allowed.

• Pool

  • 8×8
  • backward captures
  • flying kings

  Popular in the American South and the Caribbean. Men capture backward, kings fly, no maximum-capture rule.

Eight clans and their attacks

Pick the clan you lead. Each clan has its own look, knockout style and three finishers to choose from when it captures; a crowned fighter also unlocks the clan’s ultimate.

• Ninja

  Silent, quick, never where you expect.

  • Shadow step: vanish, strike from behind
  • Shuriken storm: three stars, then a big one
  • Dragon kick: leap into a spin kick
  • Thousand Shadows (ultimate): a ring of shadow clones

• Karateka

  Clean technique and big kicks.

  • Tiger combo: jab, cross, roundhouse
  • Sky breaker: uppercut, then axe kick
  • Hundred fists: a blur of punches
  • Heaven Splitter (ultimate): a chop that splits the sky

• Sumo

  Heavy, unstoppable, shakes the whole board.

  • Belly bump: charge and launch
  • Thunder stomp: shake the whole board
  • Palm barrage: rapid open-hand slaps
  • Mountain Drop (ultimate): fall from the sky

• Samurai

  Paper armor and a brush-stroke blade.

  • Quick draw: one cut, too fast to see
  • Crescent cut: a spinning sword sweep
  • Falling blade: leap into a downward cut
  • Moonlit Cut (ultimate): one cut under the moon

• Storm Ninja

  Spiky-haired lightning kids in purple gi.

  • Lightning call: bring down the sky
  • Volt dash: strike at the speed of light
  • Storm spiral: a whirlwind flying kick
  • Thunder God (ultimate): call down a storm

• Monk

  Shaolin-style kung fu monks with a bo staff.

  • Staff whirlwind: a spinning bo-staff storm
  • Still palm: one quiet push, a huge blast
  • Pole vault kick: launch off the staff, feet first
  • Mandala Palm (ultimate): a golden mandala blast

• Nak Muay

  Muay Thai fighters: knees, elbows and clinches.

  • Flying knee: leap in knee-first
  • Spinning elbow: turn and cut with the elbow
  • Clinch knees: grab the neck, drive knees
  • Eight Limbs (ultimate): fists, elbows, knees, shins

• Capoeirista

  Acrobatic Brazilian fighters who kick like they dance.

  • Meia-lua: half-moon spinning heel kick
  • Aú kick: cartwheel in, kick on landing
  • Rasteira: low sweep, then they drop
  • Roda Storm (ultimate): a whirlwind of half-moon kicks

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