Poddavki

Poddavki, also known as Giveaway Checkers, Suicide Checkers, or Losing Checkers, is a variant of checkers where the objective is to lose all of one's pieces or to be unable to make a legal move. This is in direct contrast to standard checkers, where the goal is to capture all of the opponent's pieces or leave them with no legal moves.

In Poddavki, the rules are generally the same as standard checkers with the significant difference in objective. Pieces move and capture in the same way. However, players must make a capture if a capture is available. When multiple captures are available, the player must make the capture that removes the most pieces of the opponent. If multiple captures remove the same maximum number of pieces, the player may choose which of those captures to make. When a piece reaches the opposite end of the board, it becomes a "king" and has the same powers of movement and capture as in standard checkers, moving diagonally forward and backward.

The strategy in Poddavki is significantly different from standard checkers. Players often try to create situations where their pieces are vulnerable to capture, particularly when they can force the opponent to capture multiple pieces in return. Trapping pieces, sacrificing pieces to force unfavorable captures, and managing the promotion of pieces to kings become crucial tactical elements. Endgame scenarios often involve carefully orchestrating a sequence of forced captures to ensure the player loses all their pieces or forces their opponent into a position where they cannot move.