Board games
Dama (Turkish)
Türk Daması
Straight moves and flying kings, the Turkish way
Dama is Turkey’s own draughts-family classic, and it plays nothing like diagonal checkers. Pieces move straight ahead or sideways, captures are compulsory and a crowned piece flies across the board like a rook.
- Players
- 2 players
- Length
- 5–10 min per game
- Type
- Board games
Play Dama (Turkish) online with friends
Dama is a two-player duel that works just as well across a distance: share the table link with a friend, talk on voice chat while you plan your captures and play on a 5+3 clock. If nobody is free, a bot takes the other side.
How to play
- 1
Each player has 16 pieces on the second and third rows. White moves first.
- 2
Pieces move one square forward, left or right. Never backward, never diagonally.
- 3
Capture by jumping over an enemy piece onto the empty square behind it, and keep jumping while you can.
- 4
Capturing is mandatory, and you must choose the sequence that captures the most pieces.
- 5
A piece that reaches the far row becomes a king (dama), which moves any distance along rows and columns.
Frequently asked questions
How is Dama different from American checkers?
Pieces move orthogonally instead of diagonally, every square is used, and kings can fly any distance.
Can a regular piece capture backward?
No, only forward or sideways. Kings capture in all four directions.
What if I miss a capture?
You cannot: the game only lets you make legal moves, and captures come first.
