Play Free Turkish Draughts Online
How to Play Turkish Draughts
Each side starts with 16 men on ranks 2–3. White moves first. Men step forward or sideways on the orthogonal grid; when a capture exists you must take the longest one. After promotion, kings fly along clear lines. Pick an AI level and a seat, then start.
What Turkish Draughts Is
Turkish draughts, also called Dama, belongs to the wider draughts family, but it is not English draughts. Every square on the 8×8 board is playable. Men move orthogonally, and kings can fly along clear ranks and files.
Each side places 16 men on the two ranks nearest them (ranks 2 and 3). White opens. A man steps one square forward or sideways; captures jump an adjacent enemy piece and land beyond it, and you must choose a line that captures the most pieces.
It looks like sliding discs across a checkerboard. In practice it is about capture length, open king lines, and when to keep men back for defence. The rules page covers the fine print; if you want the feel of the game, start with the AI board above.
All 64 Squares Count
Do not hunt only for dark squares. Turkish draughts uses the whole board: men step and capture on orthogonal lines. From move one, practise asking whether a longer capture is available before you push a quiet step.
Maximum Capture Is Required
If any capture exists, quiet one-square moves disappear. When several captures are legal, you must take the one that removes the most pieces, and finish a jumping run when it can continue. After crowning, a king flies along open orthogonal lines.
Hints Follow Your AI Level
Choose from multiple AI levels, then play as White to open or Black to reply. Hints use the same level, and undo rewinds both your move and the AI response. After the game, replay the turn when a longer capture was missed. All AI calculation stays in your browser.
64playable squares
16men a side
Orthomen and captures
Flykings on clear lines
Common questions
How do the pieces move in the Turkish draughts on this site?
The board is 8×8, and all sixty-four squares are playable. Each side starts with sixteen men on ranks 2 and 3 near their own edge, and White moves first. A man steps one square toward the opponent or sideways along a rank or file. There are no diagonal steps, and men do not move backward. If any capture exists, you cannot play a quiet step instead; when several captures are legal, you must take the one that removes the most pieces. A man that reaches the far rank becomes a king and can fly along clear orthogonal lines. You win when the opponent has no legal move. After eighty quiet half-moves with no capture and no promotion, the game is a draw.
Does the AI run in my own browser?
Yes. After you pick a strength, the moves are calculated on this device. You are not waiting on a remote server to return a reply. Hints use the same level you selected, not a deeper search hiding behind the button. If the pace feels too easy or too sharp, change the level and both hints and the AI responses follow it.
Why can’t I step into the empty square beside my piece?
That is usually not a broken button. If any legal jump capture exists, a quiet one-square step is not allowed. When several capture lines are available, you must play the one that takes the most pieces, and you must finish a jumping run when it can continue. Look for the longest capture first, then consider a quiet move.
Do I have to rush toward the back rank on the first move?
No. There is no required opening square. Early on there is often nothing to capture yet, so a forward step or a sideways slide is fine. Your opponent’s men promote only when they reach your back rank, so do not throw away every defender on that line. Ask whether this step hands them an easy sideways capture before you push forward.
How should I use hints, undo, and replay without just copying the answer?
Say first whether your idea is about capturing, holding the back rank, or opening a flying line for a king, then open the hint and compare. The hint follows your current AI level; it is not a stronger engine behind the button. When it is your turn, undo rewinds both your last move and the AI reply. Replay is for spotting where a shorter capture started, not only for watching who ran out of pieces at the end.
Can I play without an account or an app?
Yes. Open the page on a phone or computer and move a piece. There is no account, email, or password. Adding the site to your home screen is optional, and a full game works without installing anything.
Can I choose to play White or Black?
Against the AI, yes. By default you play White and move first. Choose Black and the AI plays the opening move. You cannot switch sides after play has started; start a new game to reset the pieces. In an online room the host picks a side when the room is created. Two players on one device do not choose colors: White always opens.
If I close the page, is this game still here?
Games against the AI and pass-and-play games stay in this browser on this device. Close the tab and open it again and you can usually continue, including the AI level you last chose. Clearing this site’s data usually removes those saved games. Online rooms do not rely on that local save; if the connection drops, opening the same link again usually brings you back to your seat.
If I invite a friend online, can I undo and use hints the way I can here?
No. Online rooms have no hints, and once a move is accepted it is sent to the other player; neither side can undo on their own. For someone you know, create a private room and share the link in chat. To meet a new opponent, open a public room and wait in the lobby. After both players leave, the room usually stays available for about twenty minutes.
How is two players on one device different from playing the AI?
Two people share one device and take turns face to face. You do not need a network connection, and neither side gets a hint. White always opens; pass the screen across after each move. Undo steps back one move at a time, and replay is still there when you want to talk through why the longest capture mattered. For scoring, play two games in a row and swap who sits on the White side in the second game.