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Turkish Checkers Game
Turk Damasi (Dama oyunu)

Turkish checkers is a variant of the original checkers game that is very different from most of the other games played, yet has some similarity to the Czech Checkers rules. This version of checkers is most popular in several Middle East countries such as Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. This Turkey checkers game is also called Armenian Checkers.

Rules of Turkish Checkers Game:

~ The Checkers Game Board ~

1. The Turkish checkers game board is unique in that it may or may not be a checkerboard with alternating light and dark squares.


2. It is an 8 x 8 board with square cells for movement.


3. Each player has 16 checkers of contrasting color, sometimes called ‘black’ and ‘white’.


4. When a checkerboard is used, the double corner is on the right of each player.

~ Object of Turkish Checkers Game ~

1. The Turkey checkers game objective is still the same as other checkers versions so that each player is trying to prevent any further movement on the board by capturing all the opponent’s pieces or by blocking future moves with the remaining checkers pieces on the board.

~ Checkers Starting Position ~

1. This is where Turk Damasi is decidedly different from all other forms of checkers played worldwide.


2. Each opponent places the sixteen checkers on ALL the squares of the SECOND and THIRD rows of the board and ALL squares are used during the game.

~ Turkey Game Moves & Captures ~

1. The single checker may move one square forward horizontally, vertically or diagonally, but may NOT move backwards.


2. When the checker reaches the opponent’s back row or king row, where the move terminates, it is crowned king (dam).


3. Maximum captures are compulsory so that if the player has a choice of capturing two checkers or three checkers, he/she must choose the move with the most pieces to capture.


4. Each captured checker is removed from the board immediately before the opponent continues to jump so that the same square may be crossed more than once in the same move and for this reason, additional captures may present themselves; this rule is again quite different from regular checkers games where the checker may not be removed until the capturing move is completed.


5. The single checker captures in all the following directions: forward diagonally left and right, straight forward and vertically left and right, but NOT backwards.


6. All captures must continue as long as possible so that the player cannot end the move on a square that will gain him/her a strategic advantage.


7. Within a multi capture move, turning 180 degrees between two captures is illegal.

~ King Moves & Captures ~

1. Kings can move any distance in an open line vertically, horizontally or diagonally forward and backward.


2. A king moves any number of squares and captures the opposition by jumping over the checker to an adjacent vacant square beyond.


3. Maximum capture is mandatory and the king must continue a jumping sequence as long as there are opposing checkers in the path.


4. If a player has several choices to capture with the king, the move that results in the greatest number of opposing checkers must be chosen.

~ Game Win or Draw ~

1. The player who prevents the opponent from being able to make any further moves by either capturing all the checkers or by blocking the remaining checkers on the board wins the Turkish checkers game.


2. A draw results if both players agree to this decision.


3. The game also ends in a draw if players have made 25 king moves in a row without advancing or capturing any checkers.

Alternative Checker Game Board for Turk Damasi

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