Alquerque is one of the oldest known strategy board games in human history, and it is widely believed to be the direct ancestor of modern checkers (draughts). The game originated in the Middle East, with the earliest known reference coming from the 10th-century Arabic text Kitab al-Aghani. Over time, Alquerque spread across North Africa and Europe, carried by cultural exchange, trade, and conquest.
The game's earliest ancestors may date back even further than written records, with archaeological evidence of similar grid-based boards carved into stone in ancient Egypt and the Levant. The classic Alquerque board consists of a 5×5 grid with diagonal connections, enabling both orthogonal and diagonal movement—a major innovation for its time.
Alquerque entered Europe primarily through Spain during the period of Islamic rule (Al-Andalus). It became popular enough that King Alfonso X of Castile included rules for it in his famous 1283 manuscript Libro de los Juegos (The Book of Games). This manuscript preserved many games that would otherwise have been lost to history, making it a crucial source for understanding medieval recreation and strategy.
As Alquerque spread, regional variations emerged. By the late Middle Ages, Europeans began adapting it to an 8×8 chessboard, increasing complexity and allowing more pieces. This hybridization eventually resulted in the game now known as checkers or draughts. Many core mechanics—such as jumping captures—come directly from Alquerque.
Though overshadowed by its descendant, Alquerque remains an important historical artifact in the study of strategy games. It is still played today in various traditional contexts and has seen a revival among historical gamers and researchers who study ancient gameplay systems.