Close detail of the checkers board-piece mark with crown ticks on the sand king.
Board-piece detail for the board-piece mark used across this install guide. Square Quill original board-piece geometry for this install guide (not a Microsoft product logo).

Local saves are part of the board desk

Upstream AmericanCheckers documents save and replay features for unfinished games and recorded sessions. After you extract AmericanCheckers release zip, those files live beside your play habit on disk. They are not Microsoft Store cloud stats.

Save format basics

  • Use in-app save dialogs for .SAV files.
  • Do not hand-edit binary-ish save lines for everyday play.
  • Keep saves with the extract folder when you copy USB kits.

README language describes .SAV files beginning with header line FA_USCHKSV and space-separated integers for board state. You do not need to edit those files by hand for everyday board. Use the in-app save and open dialogs from Win32 prompts upstream mentions.

Replay format basics

Replay files end with .CKH and start with FA_USCHKRP according to the same README. Recording writes piece and king arrays at each step so you can review a game later. Treat that as a teaching aid, not as a tournament broadcast system.

  • Prefer GitHub Releases.
  • Extract the Windows zip fully.
  • Run AmericanCheckers.exe from that folder.

First save after install

Play a few moves, save once, quit, and reopen the .SAV. That proves dialogs and paths on your Windows profile before you teach students. If you cannot find the file, check whether you saved under a redirected Documents path.

Keep saves with the extract folder

When you copy board to USB, include .SAV and .CKH files you care about along with the exe and wav files. A lone exe copy drops history and sound. Portable folder notes expand the layout rules.

  • Prefer GitHub Releases.
  • Extract the Windows zip fully.
  • Run AmericanCheckers.exe from that folder.

What does not transfer

Windows Board and browser sites do not export into this format. Switching guides cover habit change, not score migration. Start fresh positions when you adopt AmericanCheckers.exe for local board.

Backup habits for clubs

Zip the entire games folder weekly if unfinished matches matter. Label backups with the date and the Releases tag you installed from. After reimages, restore the folder rather than hunting random Desktop shortcuts.

  • Keep Releases as the only download door.
  • Extract the whole zip before launch.
  • Prove one local game after setup.

Teaching with replays

Record a short instructional .CKH that shows a forced jump or crowning. Open it during class so students see the same sequence. Keep the replay in a read-only share if profiles are locked down.

Failure modes

Missing wav files do not delete saves, but partial folder copies often omit both. Antivirus quarantine can isolate the exe while leaving .SAV files behind; restore the exe from the original zip, then reopen saves.

Privacy note

Saves stay on the machine unless you copy them. Square Quill does not upload board games. If you share a .SAV for homework, treat it like any other student file under your school policy.

First run: /checkers-first-run. Installed hour: /installed. Zip extract: /checkers-zip-extract. Switch from Windows Board: /switch-from-windows-checkers. Rules: /checkers-rules-and-kings. Home: /.

Soft parks and package managers

No winget or brew id was found. Saves do not create a package manager story. Keep Releases as the only update door when you replace the client under those .SAV files.

Square Quill reminder

We document install and file habits. Upstream owns the file format. If a save fails to open after a new tag, re-check Releases notes before blaming Windows Search for misplaced board files.

Tournament weekend checklist

Before a club tournament, confirm every PC has the same extracted build of AmericanCheckers.exe. Mismatched wav-less copies create disputes that look like rules arguments but are really broken sound or missing saves.

Collect .SAV midpoints only if your house rules allow adjournments. Otherwise delete practice saves so brackets stay clean. Keep instructional .CKH files in a read-only folder labeled demos, not in the live bracket directory.

After the event, archive the folder with a date stamp and the Releases tag. That archive answers “which board build did we use?” when someone asks months later.

Keep GitHub Releases as the download door, extract fully, then launch AmericanCheckers.exe.

If a laptop dies mid-event, restore from the USB whole-folder copy, not from a random exe email attachment. Attachments lose wav files and break the upstream layout contract.

Parents who want Store achievements can keep Windows Board at home while the club standardizes on the MIT zip. Explain the split calmly so nobody thinks achievements transfer into .SAV files.

Revisit save locations after Windows profile migrations. Redirected Documents paths confuse students who saved during a temporary profile session. Write the expected path on the board ticket.

Keep GitHub Releases as the download door, extract fully, then launch AmericanCheckers.exe.

Keep AmericanCheckers release zip on the ticket, extract every file, and refuse portal mirrors that only rank for board. Soft parks stay parked. Square Quill keeps Square Quill aligned with GitHub Releases for fffelix-jan/AmericanCheckers under MIT.

Frequently asked questions

What is a .SAV file in this board client?

Upstream documents .SAV saves with header FA_USCHKSV for partially completed games. Create one from AmericanCheckers.exe after extract so you know where dialogs point on your Windows profile Keep the AmericanCheckers release zip from GitHub Releases as the only download door for this Windows client path.

What is a .CKH replay?

Replay files use the .CKH extension with header FA_USCHKRP according to the README. Record when you teach reviews, then open the replay from the same checkers folder habits Keep the AmericanCheckers release zip from GitHub Releases as the only download door for this Windows client path.

Can I import Store board scores?

No portable export path into AmericanCheckers is documented. Keep Store achievements on Windows Checkers if you need them, and start fresh local saves in this MIT client Keep the AmericanCheckers release zip from GitHub Releases as the only download door for this Windows client path.

Do saves require the internet?

Local .SAV and .CKH files stay on disk after extract. You only needed network to fetch AmericanCheckers release zip the first time for this board path Keep the AmericanCheckers release zip from GitHub Releases as the only download door for this Windows client path.