Dama Stars

About Dama Stars

Dama Stars is Italian checkers — dama — played on a clean digital board. You advance your pieces diagonally, jump your opponent to capture, and promote to a king when you reach the far rank, at which point your movement options open up considerably. The Italian ruleset is a little different from the draughts most people grow up with, and the game explains the legal moves as you go.

Three difficulty levels cover everything from a first game to a genuine challenge, and there is a head-to-head mode for two people on one device. Turn-based and silent, it is one of the most classroom-friendly games on the site.

How to play

Click or tap a piece to select it and click a highlighted diagonal square to move. Jumping an opponent piece captures it, and chains of jumps are taken in a single turn. Reach the far side of the board to promote a piece to a king. Play solo against one of three computer difficulty levels, or pass the device back and forth in two-player mode.

Controls

• Mouse click or tap — select a piece and choose its square
• Two-player mode — take turns on one device
• Three AI difficulty levels for solo play

Tips to win

• Keep your back row intact early — it stops the computer promoting a king against you.
• Advance pieces in connected pairs so a capture can always be answered with a recapture.
• Trade pieces when you are ahead in material; a simplified board favours whoever has more left.