Dama Rules

Overview

Dama (داما) is the Arabic and Middle Eastern variant of checkers. Popular across Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and the wider Arab world, Dama has distinct rules that make it quite different from Western checkers. It is played on a standard 8×8 board but uses all 64 squares, not just the dark ones.

The Board

Dama uses a standard 8×8 board with 64 squares. Unlike Western checkers which only uses the dark diagonal squares, Dama uses ALL squares on the board. The board is oriented so each player has their pieces on the two rows closest to them.

Starting Position

Each player starts with 16 pieces, placed on ALL 8 squares of their first two rows. The light/cream pieces belong to the player on the bottom, and the dark pieces belong to the opponent at the top. This means the board starts with 32 of the 64 squares occupied — much denser than Western checkers.

Movement

Regular pieces in Dama move very differently from Western checkers:

• Pieces move FORWARD or SIDEWAYS (horizontally) — one square at a time. There is NO diagonal movement.
• Regular pieces CANNOT move backward. They can only move forward (toward the opponent's side) or sideways (left or right).
• A piece can only move to an empty square.

Capturing

Capturing in Dama follows these rules:

• A piece captures by jumping over an adjacent opponent piece to an empty square directly beyond it. Captures happen in straight lines (forward, backward, or sideways — NOT diagonal).
• MANDATORY CAPTURE: If you can capture, you must. You cannot choose to make a simple move when a capture is available.
• MAXIMUM CAPTURE: If multiple capture sequences are available, you must take the one that captures the MOST pieces.
• CHAIN CAPTURES: If after a capture, another capture is available from the landing square, you must continue capturing in the same turn.

Kings (Dama)

When a regular piece reaches the opposite end of the board (the opponent's back row), it is promoted to a King — called a "Dama" (the same name as the game).

• A King can move ANY number of squares in all 4 directions — forward, backward, left, and right. It moves like a rook in chess.
• A King captures by jumping over an opponent piece and can land on ANY empty square beyond it in the same line.
• Kings can also chain-capture, changing direction between captures.

Winning the Game

You win by either capturing all of your opponent's pieces, or by blocking all of their pieces so they cannot make any legal move. If neither player can win, the game is a draw.

Key Differences from Western Checkers

Dama is NOT the same as Western/English checkers. Here are the main differences:

1. 16 pieces per player (not 12), placed on ALL squares of the first two rows (not just dark squares).
2. Movement is forward and sideways in straight lines (not diagonal).
3. Captures are in straight lines (not diagonal), and backward captures are allowed for regular pieces.
4. Maximum capture rule: you must take the path that captures the most pieces.
5. Kings move like a rook in chess — any number of squares in a straight line, not just one square diagonally.