Checkerboard with checker pieces

Object NameCheckerboard with checker pieces

ClassificationsDolls, Doll Accessories, Toys and Games

Credit LineGift of Marian Daniells. In the Farm House Museum Collection, Farm House Museum, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Object number74.16.78a-x

Status

On view

Collections

Label TextCheckers, also known as draughts, ranks among the oldest known board games, with origins that trace back more than 5,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia, where players used grid-patterned boards. Over centuries, the game evolved and spread through Egypt and Europe, where people called it “Fierges” or “Dames” during the Middle Ages. In 12th-century England, players standardized the modern version of checkers on an 8×8 board with uniform rules for movement and capturing, and Americans later popularized it in the 19th century. Its simple rules combined with strategic depth made the game widely accessible, encouraging organized tournaments, published strategy guides, and lasting popularity across cultures. Today, checkers remains a classic game that continues to challenge players of all ages.

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