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Brazilian Checkers Online

International-style capture logic on a compact board makes Brazilian Damas quick to meet and difficult to calculate.

Board8×8 · 12 eachMen captureBoth directionsPriorityMaximum route

International ideas on a compact board

Brazilian Checkers — Damas — starts with the familiar 8×8 board and 12 men per side. Its movement rules, however, belong to the international family: men capture backward, kings fly, and the largest available capture is compulsory.

With less space than a 10×10 game, contact arrives early. A harmless-looking exchange can become a forced route across most of the board.

The longest capture decides the move

If one sequence takes three pieces and another takes two, you must take three. When routes share the same maximum total, you may choose between them; kings and men count equally.

Position 1 · maximum captureThe longer route is compulsory

White can jump left once or turn right for three captures. In Brazilian Checkers, only the three-piece route is legal.

Count the complete sequence before judging the landing square. A sacrifice often works by forcing the opponent onto a longer route, not by hiding the first jump.

Men can reverse during a combination

A man moves forward on a quiet turn but captures in either diagonal direction. During a multi-capture it may change direction, so a piece that has passed an opponent is not automatically safe.

Ordinary moveOne square forwardCaptureForward or backward

Promotion waits for the move to finish

Reaching the back row during a combination does not immediately create a flying king. The man completes every required jump as a man and is crowned only if the full move ends on the promotion row.

Position 2 · delayed promotionTouching the back row is not enough

White reaches the edge, but the capture continues away from it. The piece remains a man and is not crowned after this move.

Three checks before you commit

  • Count every branch.The legal route is the one with the largest total, even if its first jump looks modest.
  • Picture the final square.Equal routes are decided by the position they leave, not by material.
  • Delay the crown.Do not calculate with flying-king powers until the complete move ends on the back row.

Brazilian vs Russian Checkers

Both use 8×8, backward captures and flying kings. Brazilian Checkers forces the maximum capture and delays promotion until the move ends. Russian Checkers lets you choose any capture route and can crown a man midway through a combination.

FAQ

How many pieces does each player start with?

Twelve, placed on the dark squares of the first three rows.

Can a man move backward?

Not on an ordinary move. It may capture forward or backward.

Is capturing compulsory?

Yes. An ordinary move is unavailable whenever a legal capture exists.

Must I take the most pieces?

Yes. You must complete a route with the maximum available capture total.

What if two routes capture the same number?

You may choose either route; kings and men have the same value when the total is counted.

Do kings move one square?

No. A king can travel across any number of empty squares on an open diagonal.

Can a man become a king during a multi-capture?

Only after the complete move, and only if it finishes on the promotion row.

Can I practise against the computer?

Yes. Select Computer in the game setup to practise maximum-capture combinations.