Philippines · Board Game · 2 Players
How to Play Filipino Dama
Filipino Dama is the Philippine variant of draughts, adapted from Spanish checkers brought by colonizers in the 16th century and transformed over four centuries into something distinctively Filipino. The crowned Dama piece — which slides any distance diagonally like a chess bishop — gives the game a faster, more dynamic character than its European ancestors and makes crowning a race worth running.
The Board and Setup
The game is played on a standard 8×8 checkerboard, using only the dark diagonal squares. Each player has 12 pieces arranged on the three rows closest to their side of the board.
One player has dark pieces; the other has light pieces. The player with the dark pieces moves first (or decide by mutual agreement or coin toss).
Regular Piece Movement
- Normal move: a regular piece moves diagonally forward one square to an adjacent empty dark square.
- Backward movement: regular pieces cannot move backward — only forward.
Capturing with a Regular Piece
- Capture by jumping diagonally over an adjacent enemy piece into an empty square on the other side.
- Regular pieces can capture in any diagonal direction — both forward and backward.
- Multiple captures are mandatory: if after a capture you can immediately make another capture, you must continue capturing in the same turn. You may not stop mid-chain.
- If a capture is available, you must capture — you cannot make a non-capturing move.
Crowning — Becoming a Dama
When a regular piece reaches the opponent's back row, it is immediately crowned and becomes a Dama. Place a second piece on top to mark it.
If a piece reaches the back row during a multi-jump capture sequence, it is crowned immediately and may continue capturing in the same turn using Dama movement rules.
Dama Movement — The Power Piece
A crowned Dama moves and captures very differently from a regular piece:
- Movement: a Dama slides any number of squares diagonally in any direction — exactly like a chess bishop. It is not limited to one square.
- Capturing: a Dama captures by sliding diagonally, passing over an enemy piece, and landing on any empty square beyond it along the same diagonal. The enemy is removed.
- After a Dama capture, if another enemy can be taken along a new diagonal, the Dama must continue the capture chain.
Winning
The game is won by the player who either:
- Captures all of the opponent's pieces, or
- Leaves the opponent with no legal move.
Strategy Tips
- Race to crown. A Dama completely changes the game's dynamics. Get one crowned as fast as possible, even at the cost of trading regular pieces.
- Force multi-jump sequences. Setting up mandatory multi-jump captures for your opponent that sacrifice multiple pieces is the core of Filipino Dama tactics.
- Protect your back rank. Don't vacate your back rank too early — doing so creates a clear path for your opponent's pieces to reach Dama status.
- The Dama endgame. A Dama vs. two or three regular pieces usually wins. The Dama's reach across the full diagonal makes it almost impossible to corner.
Cultural Context
Spanish colonizers brought a form of draughts to the Philippines in the 1560s, but four centuries of local play transformed it. The word dama comes from the Spanish for "lady" — the queen piece was so dominant that the piece itself became the game's name.
Filipino Dama is played in barangay plazas, school courtyards, and family gatherings across the 7,600 islands of the Philippine archipelago. What began as a colonial import became a national pastime — modified, owned, and passed down as Filipino. The Dama's long diagonal slide is the game's signature Filipino innovation, creating a speed and tactical openness that distinguishes it from all its European and American relatives.
Play Filipino Dama Free Online
No download. No account needed. Play in your browser right now.