Ghanaian Draughts, known locally as Damii, is a fast-paced and highly tactical variant of checkers played on a 10x10 board with 20 pieces per player. Below is the comprehensive guide to the rules, ensuring you understand exactly how the game is played on dammee.com.
1. The Board and Setup
- Board Size: The game is played on a 10x10 checkered board containing 100 squares (50 dark, 50 light).
- Playable Squares: Only the dark squares are used for play.
- Mirrored Orientation: Unlike International Draughts, the board is oriented so that the bottom-right playable square is a dark square. The players set their pieces up identically, creating a mirrored start.
- Pieces: Each player begins with 20 pieces, placed on the first four rows of the board.
2. Movement
- Men (Normal Pieces): Men move diagonally forward one square to an adjacent empty dark square. Men cannot move backwards.
- Kings: When a Man reaches the farthest row on the opponent's side of the board, it is promoted to a King. Kings are "flying kings" and can move diagonally any number of empty squares forwards or backwards.
3. Capturing Rules
- Compulsory Capture: If a capture is available, it must be taken. You cannot choose to make a non-capturing move if a capture is possible.
- Choice of Capture: If there are multiple different capture sequences available, the player is free to choose which one to play — you are not forced to take the longest line. This differs from International Draughts, which forces the maximum capture, and it is a defining tactical element of Ghanaian Damii.
- Capturing by Men: A Man captures by jumping diagonally over an adjacent opponent's piece to land on the empty square immediately beyond it. Men can capture both forwards and backwards.
- Capturing by Kings: A King captures by flying over an opponent's piece along a diagonal line and landing on any empty square beyond the captured piece. It can then continue jumping if another capture is available from that new position.
- Removal of Pieces: Captured pieces are only removed from the board after the entire capturing sequence is complete. A jumping piece cannot jump over the same opponent's piece twice in a single turn.
4. Winning and Draws
- Winning: A player wins the game if they capture all of their opponent's pieces or if their opponent has no legal moves remaining (they are blocked).
- Draws: A game can be drawn by mutual agreement, if the same position occurs three times, or if neither player can force a win (e.g., in certain King vs. King endgames).
5. Damii vs. International Draughts
Both games use a 10x10 board and flying kings, so they look alike. The clearest structural difference is the mirrored board orientation.
| Rule | Damii (Ghanaian) | International draughts |
|---|---|---|
| Board orientation | Mirrored (bottom-right dark) | Standard |
| Pieces per side | 20 | 20 |
| Capture | Compulsory | Compulsory |
| Men capture backward | Yes | Yes |
| Choice among captures | Free choice | Maximum capture forced |
| Kings | Flying kings | Flying kings |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ghanaian Draughts the same as International Draughts?
While both are played on a 10x10 board, they are different. The main differences are the board orientation (Ghanaian Damii uses a mirrored setup where the bottom-right playable square is dark) and the capture rule: Damii lets the player choose freely among available capture sequences, while International Draughts forces the maximum capture.
Can normal pieces capture backwards?
Yes, in Ghanaian Damii, standard pieces (Men) can capture backwards, even though they can only move forwards when not capturing.
Do I have to take the biggest capture?
No. In Ghanaian Damii, capturing itself is compulsory, but when two or more capture sequences are available you may choose freely between them — including a shorter one. This is a key difference from International Draughts, where the maximum capture is forced.
Where can I play Damii online?
You can play live, rated Damii with clubs and tournaments right here on dammee.com — built specifically for authentic Ghanaian Draughts. Find a game in the lobby.