Alquerque
MEDIEVAL BOARD GAME — the DIRECT ANCESTOR of DRAUGHTS/CHECKERS (~10th century). Arabic origin QIRQ or ALQUIRKAT; brought to SPAIN via MOORISH conquest; documented in ALFONSO X's BOOK OF GAMES (1283). Played on 5×5 board with 12 pieces per side; capture by jumping over opponent's pieces. Sometime around 12th-13th century in Southern France, ALQUERQUE evolved into DRAUGHTS by being played on a checkers board (8×8) + adding new rules. Historical + educational classic.
Quick facts
Category
Mind Sports
Type
Individual
Players
2–2
Duration
~20 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
Estimated origin
~9th-10th c Arabic; brought to Iberian Peninsula by Moors; documented in Alfonso X 1283 Book of Games
Olympic
No
Popularity
niche
How it works
Objective
Capture all opponent's pieces OR block them from moving.
Rules
Basic rules
12 pieces per player start on 4 rows (leaving center empty)
Standard setup.
Move 1 piece along a line to an empty adjacent intersection
Standard movement.
CAPTURE: jump over adjacent opponent piece if landing spot is empty
Signature capture rule.
Multiple jumps in one turn allowed if geometrically possible
Signature chain capture.
MUST CAPTURE if a capture is available (in most rule variants)
Forced capture rule.
WIN: capture all opponent's pieces OR block their movement
Standard win condition.
Scoring
Capture all opposing pieces or immobilize.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Capture all opponent pieces | WIN |
| Immobilize opponent | WIN |
| Blockade + siege | Advanced defensive win |
Win condition · Capture all or immobilize opponent's pieces.
Equipment
Alquerque board (5×5 grid with diagonal lines)
Signature board with 25 intersections + connecting lines
12 white + 12 black pieces (or any 2 colors)
Stones or pegs
Terminology
- Alquerque
- Spanish-Arabic name — from Arabic Al-Quirkat, from Latin calculus (small stone).
- Qirq
- Arabic original name.
- Alquerque de Doze
- 'Alquerque of Twelve' — standard 12-piece version.
- Alfonso X's Libro de los Juegos
- 1283 Castilian medieval treatise documenting many games including Alquerque.
Where it is played
Frequently asked
Is Alquerque really the ancestor of Checkers?+
WIDELY BELIEVED YES. Historical timeline: ALQUERQUE existed in Arabic Middle East (documented ~10th c) → brought to Iberian Peninsula by Moors → documented in Alfonso X's 1283 BOOK OF GAMES. Sometime between 12-13th centuries in SOUTHERN FRANCE, some clever player took Alquerque pieces + rules but placed them on a CHESSBOARD (8×8). Additional rules like KING PROMOTION were added. This became FIERGES → DAMES → DRAUGHTS/CHECKERS. Modern checkers is essentially Alquerque scaled up + refined.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Alquerque— Wikipedia