Dama Stars
About Dama Stars
Dama Stars follows the rules of Italian checkers on an 8x8 board. Players move pieces diagonally forward one square, and capture by jumping over an adjacent opponent piece into an empty square beyond. Captures are mandatory, and multiple jumps can be chained in a single turn when possible. Pieces that reach the opposite side promote to kings, which gain the ability to move and capture backward. The game ends when one player captures all opponent pieces or leaves them with no legal moves.
The real challenge lies in the mandatory capture rule: every capture opportunity must be taken, allowing opponents to force unfavourable exchanges. The board is small enough that a single forced jump can open a path for a multi-capture sequence, turning a quiet position into a decisive gain. Promotion to king is often the turning point, as kings dominate open boards. Solo play offers three difficulty levels against the computer, while two-player mode supports local play on the same device.
Tips to win
- Use the mandatory capture rule to force your opponent into a position where they must jump into a trap, leaving their piece vulnerable to a multi-jump.
- Control the centre squares early; they offer more mobility and make it harder for your opponent to force captures.
- Aim to promote a piece to king as soon as possible, but avoid rushing a single piece forward if it can be captured immediately after promotion.
