Thought I'd share this. It's a checkers client I'm currently developing with a peer for my software engineering class. Server's written by another team, and in C#. It comes with a spatial/private message chat system and a lobby view where you can join/create tables to get games going. Used jMonkey via the canvas implementer. Still need to do some optimization and fixes as well as add some additional features for next week., otherwise the game's playable.
http://www.pyrogames.net/webstart/MonkeyCheckers.wmv
The table isn't especially pretty, for now 
Cool! Looks like you've almost finished. When its done, we should hold a jME checkers tournament.