⛀ Checkers (Damas) online free — with friends or against the computer

Checkers (Damas) guide: rules, how to play and tips

What is it?

Checkers (damas in Spanish) is one of the oldest and best-loved board games: easy to learn, quick to play and full of hidden strategy. WePlay uses American checkers rules on an 8×8 board, with forced captures and kings. Challenge a friend on their phone or play the computer whenever you like.

Setup

• The board has 64 squares, but only the 32 dark ones are used.
• Each player places 12 pieces on the dark squares of the three rows closest to them.
• Black moves first.

Rules

1. Regular pieces (men) move one square diagonally forward, always on dark squares.
2. To capture, jump over an adjacent enemy piece diagonally into the empty square right behind it.
3. Capturing is mandatory: if a capture is available you must take it. If after a jump you can capture again, the multi-jump continues in the same turn.
4. A man that reaches the far row is crowned a king and can then move and capture backward too. If it is crowned during a jump, the turn ends there.
5. You win when your opponent has no pieces left or no legal moves.

How to play on WePlay

1. Open weplay.zone in the browser on every phone. There is no app to install and no account to create.
2. If everyone is on the same Wi-Fi, they land at the same table automatically. Anyone far away or on cell data taps Invite and joins with the link, the QR code or the 4-letter code.
3. The host picks Checkers (Damas) and taps Start. Each phone shows only its own player’s information; the table is shared in real time.
4. Nobody else around? Open Play the computer and the game starts instantly against a computer opponent.
5. Tap a piece and then the destination square. If a capture is mandatory, the game highlights it so you don’t miss it.
6. The computer plays fast and follows the same rules, perfect for practicing before challenging a friend.

Tips and strategy

• Keep your back row as long as possible: it stops your opponent from crowning easily.
• Move as a group. Pieces that support each other are hard to capture.
• Use forced captures to your advantage: offer one piece to force a jump into a spot where you take two.
• Controlling the center gives you more mobility than playing along the edges.
• Crown whenever you can do it safely: a king is worth much more than a man in the endgame.

FAQ about Checkers (Damas)