Dama (Checkers): rules and how to play online

Dama is the game of checkers, or draughts: 12 gotis each on the dark squares of a chessboard, moving diagonally and jumping over each other. It is quicker than chess, and it has one rule that causes endless fights at home: if you can capture, you must.

Here are the rules of Dama as Mandli plays them, with two rule sets the host can pick from, some tips, and how to play checkers online with a friend while the rest of your group watches and talks on voice.

Kya chahiye: Just phones. The app shows only legal moves and highlights gotis that must capture.

Rules: kaise khelte hain

The board and gotis

An 8x8 board. Each side has 12 gotis on the dark squares of the three rows nearest them. In Mandli the colours are Pink and Neel, and Pink moves first. The challenger plays Pink.

Moving

A goti moves one square diagonally forward onto an empty dark square. Gotis never move sideways or straight ahead.

Kaatna padega: capture is compulsory

If an opponent's goti is diagonally next to yours with an empty square right behind it, you jump over it and take it off the board. If any capture is available, you must capture. If after a jump you can jump again, you must keep going until the chain is finished. You may pick any capture; it doesn't have to be the longest one. A goti can't be jumped twice in one chain.

Raja: reaching the far row

A goti that reaches the far row becomes a Raja and gets a small crown. A Raja can move and capture backwards as well as forwards. Reaching the far row ends your move.

Two rule sets

• Seedha (default): gotis move and capture forward only. A Raja moves one square in any diagonal direction.
• Udta Raja: gotis may also capture backwards. A Raja flies any distance along a diagonal, and after a capture can land on any empty square beyond the taken goti. A goti that passes the far row in the middle of a chain becomes a Raja only if the chain ends there.

Winning and draws

You win when your opponent has no gotis left or no legal move. It is a draw after 40 moves by each side with only Raja moves and no capture, or when the same position comes up a third time with the same side to move. Players can also offer and accept a draw.

Time

Each move has 30 seconds. If time runs out, the app plays a legal move for you. The third timeout in one game loses it.

Points kaise milte hain

A win is worth 20 points, plus 3 more if you finish with 6 or more of your pieces still on the board (Saaf jeet). A draw gives 8 each and a loss gives 2. Points carry across games in the same room.

Jeetne ke tips

• Keep your back row filled as long as you can. It stops the other side from making a Raja.
• Because capture is compulsory, you can offer one goti on purpose to pull the opponent into a double jump for you.
• Move in groups. A goti with a friend behind it can't be jumped from that side.
• The sides of the board are safe, since nobody can jump a goti on the edge, but a goti stuck there does little.
• In Udta Raja, one flying Raja can clear half the board. Count the long diagonals before every move.

Ghar wale rules aur variants

Dama online kaise khelein

Make a room in Mandli, share the link on WhatsApp or show the QR code, and pick Dama. Friends without the app join from the browser link. Two play while everyone else in the room watches the same board, taps reactions and talks on voice. The host picks Seedha or Udta Raja. After each game the winner stays and the next person in the queue sits down; after 3 wins in a row the champion takes a break so everyone gets a turn, and the host can switch that off. The host can also switch on Chup-chaap dekho to mute watchers during the game. A dropped player's seat is held for 60 seconds.

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