|
|
Checkers Around the World
Spanish Checkers Game
Damas Espanola
 
Spanish Checkers Game or Damas Espanola is
one of the oldest checkers games or one of
the first original versions of the game to
be discussed in a literary work. In 1547, a
Spanish writer, Anton de Torquemada, wrote
a book about the first checkers played with
rules very similar to those we use in the 21st
century. Spanish Checkers game or Damas Espanola
is played in Portugal, parts of South America,
the Caribbean and in Northern Africa ~ Tunisia,
Algeria and Morocco. The Spanish rule set is
very similar to Brazilian Checkers with the
difference that the checkers cannot capture
backward, the checkerboard is inverted and
there is a priority capture rule that exists.
Rules of Spanish Checkers Game:
~ The Checkers Game Board ~
Damas Espanola is played by two checkers opponents
on the dark squares of a standard 8 x 8 checkerboard
consisting of 64 light and dark alternating
squares. Each player uses 12 checkers of contrasting
colors.
Object of Spanish Checkers Game
- The Spanish checkers game objective
is to outmaneuver the opponent’s
play by preventing the player from making
any further moves by either capturing all
the checkers or by blocking remaining pieces
from further moves on the checkerboard.
- If this is achieved, then the player
wins the spanish checkers game.
~ Game Starting Position ~
- The checkerboard is positioned by the
opponents so that it is situated squarely
between them and turned so that there is
a dark single corner on the right and a
dark double corner on the left of each
player; this board format is inverted to
other checkers games.
- Each opponent places the checkers on
the dark squares of the first three rows
that are nearest to him/her.
- The player with the light checker pieces
commences the game with the first move
and thereafter, the turns alternate between
the opponents.
~ Game Moves & Captures ~
- Each opponent moves his/her single checkers
or men diagonally forward only one square
at a time to an unoccupied space.
- At no time during the spanish checkers
game may either player make more than one
move with his/her checkers.
- Priority capture is compulsory.
- A player captures an opposing checker
by jumping over the piece on a diagonally
adjacent square to an empty square immediately
beyond.
- Neither opponent may capture backwards
but may only jump in a forward direction
and may continue the jumping sequence as
long as they encounter opposing checkers
adjacent to empty squares in between.
- Opponents may not jump over their own
checkers at any point in the game.
~ Crowned to become a Checkers King ~
- When a player’s checker reaches
the opponent’s far and king row,
whether by means of a jumping sequence
or a simple move, the checker becomes a
king and the move ends there.
- The king is then crowned by the opponent
whose row the checker landed on; a second
checker of the same color is placed on
top of the first to signify the kingship.
- Once the king has been crowned, the
play may then make his/her move, but not
before.
~ King Moves & Captures ~
- Kings in Spanish
Checkers are also ‘flying
kings’ in that they can
move in a forward or backward diagonal
direction any number of squares to an
empty space beyond.
- Capturing by kings takes place from any
distance along a diagonal path by jumping
forward or backward over an opposing checker
or king as long as there is at least one
unoccupied square on that path beyond the
opposition.
- The capturing king may follow a jumping
sequence either on the same diagonal line
or by changing to another diagonal by means
of a right angle turn.
- Kings must never jump over their own
checkers and may not jump over the opponent’s
man or king more than once.
- Capturing by the king checker is mandatory
so that whenever there is an opposing checker
in its path, the king must jump and capture
it.
- If there is more than one way in a jumping
sequence, then the player must choose the
path that leads to capturing the greatest
number of opposing checkers, whether men
or kings.
- A “huff”of
a checker for failure to jump properly
is not permitted, but the incorrect move
must be retracted and the correct play
must be made with the man or king that
was originally moved, if at all possible.
- Neither player removes captured checkers
from the checkerboard until all jumps in
a capturing sequence have been made and
the player’s hand has been removed
from the checker or king.
~ Spanish Checkers Win or Draw? ~
- The winner of Damas
Espanola (Spanish Checkers) is
the opponent who has successfully prevented
the other player from being able to make
any further moves by either capturing
all his/her checkers or by blocking the
existing pieces so that no other moves
can be made.
- Spanish Checker game may end in a draw
if both players agree to this outcome,
or if the same position is encountered
three times during the game.
- When one opponent has three kings and
the other opponent has only one king, the
player with the three kings must win the
game by the fifteenth move or it ends in
a draw, even if the sixteenth move would
end in a capture.
Portuguese Checkers ~ Verificatores Portuguese
 
Jogo dos Verificadores Portuguese (the game
of Portuguese checkers) has the same rules
as Damas Espanola.
This version of checkers is very similar to
Brazilian Checkers. It is played on an 8 x
8 checkerboard consisting of 64 alternating
light and dark squares. Each player uses 12
checkers apiece of contrasting colors. The
checkerboard is positioned squarely between
the two players and turned so that a dark single
corner is on the player’s right and a
dark double corner is on the player’s
left side. Capturing is compulsory but if there
are several capturing sequences, the player
must choose the jumping sequence that captures
the most checkers. If, however, there are still
other sequences, the opponent must choose the
one that will capture the most kings. Once
a checker is crowned, it becomes a ‘flying
king’and follows the same rules
as for Spanish Checkers games.
~ Game Starting Position ~
Portuguese Checkers is a variant of the
original checkers family and is enjoyed in
numerous countries around the world as much
as the different versions that exist in other
countries.
|
|
