Play Portuguese Draughts Online

Board, setup, and goal

Board: Play takes place on the 32 dark squares of an 8×8 board. The long dark diagonal begins on each player’s right.

Setup: Each side has 12 men arranged across the first three rows. The player with the white pieces makes the opening move.

Goal: Win by capturing every opposing piece or leaving the opponent without a legal move.

Men and promotion

Quiet move: A man advances one empty square diagonally forward. It cannot move backward.

Capture: A man jumps forward over an adjacent enemy into the empty square immediately beyond. If another legal capture follows, the sequence must continue.

Promotion: A man reaching the opponent’s back rank becomes a king. Its move ends there, and it receives king powers after the opponent’s reply.

Kings and multiple captures

Flying move: A king can travel any number of empty squares along a diagonal in either direction.

Long capture: A king jumps an opposing piece on the same diagonal and may land on a legal empty square beyond it.

Changing direction: During a multiple capture, a king can turn onto another diagonal. It cannot pass over the same captured piece twice.

Compulsory capture and priority

Capture first: A quiet move is illegal whenever any capture exists.

Quantity first: Compare complete routes and select one that captures the maximum number of pieces.

Quality second: If the totals are equal, select the route that captures more kings. If quantity and quality are both equal, the player may choose.

Removal, victory, and draws

Remove afterward: Pieces taken in a multiple capture stay in place until the moving piece reaches its final landing square.

Victory: The game is won by taking all opposing pieces, immobilizing the opponent, or accepting a resignation.

Draws: The official rules cover repeated positions and move limits for qualifying endgames, including the traditional 20-move rule.

A useful first-game checklist

• Before every move, scan the whole board for a compulsory capture.
• Count every possible capture route to its final landing square.
• When totals tie, count how many kings each route removes.
• Remember that captured pieces block diagonals until the sequence ends.

Deep roots in everyday life

Portuguese Draughts, traditionally called damas clássicas, has long been played in homes, cafés, clubs, and community associations. Its compact board and forcing capture rules make it easy to begin and rich enough for lifelong study.

The national federation

An initial attempt to establish a Portuguese federation was made in 1954. The Federação Portuguesa de Damas was formally organized in 1980, after which national championships and the Portuguese Cup became regular official competitions.

The 64-square game

In its early years, the federation focused chiefly on the 64-square national variant. Portuguese Draughts remains a distinct rules tradition alongside the country’s 100-square international competitions.

Modern play

Today the game combines club competition, national rankings, coaching, and online play. Digital boards make its distinctive quantity and quality laws accessible to players far beyond Portugal.

Keep your men connected

Forward-only men cannot repair a weakness by retreating. Maintain diagonal support, avoid isolated pieces, and preserve routes toward promotion.

Calculate quantity and quality

Never stop after spotting the first jump. Count the full route, then compare the number of kings captured whenever two routes take equal totals.

Use blockers deliberately

Because captured pieces remain until the move ends, an apparently open diagonal may still be closed. Use that deferred removal to limit an enemy king’s route.

Fight for the Rio

The long diagonal known as the Rio is a major highway for flying kings. Control of it expands mobility and matters in classic king endgames.