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Daldøs Opening Position
Alternate Names
A very similar and related game is known as Daldøsa in Norway and another very similar game called Sáhkku is known from several locations, mostly coastal, in the far northern reaches of Norway, Finland and Russia near the Fino-Russian border.
No. of Players
Two
Equipment
A Daldøs board, two special dice and sixteen each of black and white counters are required for play. The board, counters, and dice are all traditionally made of wood. The board is shaped like a ship and typically has three rows; the middle of which has seventeen holes and the upper and lower rows having sixteen holes. The two dice are four-sided quaternary (four possible outcomes when rolled) and their shape is often compared to that of rolling pins. The dice ends are typically pyramidal or rounded. The four sides are marked "A" ("X" in some traditions, it has the value 1, called dallen, i.e. the dal), "II" (2, probably called døs), "III" (3) and "IIII" (4). The traditional counters are spatula-shaped with the handle of the spatula fitting into the holes of the board. The heads of the two different counters are often shaped differently for each player. Because many players will not be capable of manufacturing such a board and counters, regular counters may be improvised, but it should be noted that the counters of Daldøs are turned at a right angle to show they have been dalled (explained later). It is therefore advisable to use a counter that is specially marked in some way so that it can either be rotated or reversed to show its rank.
History
Daldøs presents an interesting history that is among the most enigmatic of all board games. It bears a resemblance to the games Tâb of the Middle East and Tablan of India that is probably too strong to be regarded as coincidence. Daldøs is known to have been historically played in only about four different isolated locations in Scandinavia. These are Thy of Jutland, Denmark; Mors of northern Denmark; Fanø of southwestern Denmark; and Bornholm, a Swedish island in the Baltic Sea. The very similar game of Daldøsa is known from Jæren in Norway
Daldøs is rare even in the few locations it is known from in Scandinavia. Notably, all of these locations are coastal. Outside of these scant few locations and the related game of Sáhkku, played in the far north, there are virtually no running fight games in all of Europe, modern or historical. The only exception to this being a diagram from a medieval English manuscript c.1250-1300 CE that shows a rectangular game board of 2x11 squares.
Objective
The goal is to capture all of the opponent's counters. To make a quicker game, it may be agreed beforehand that the game is over when one player has been reduced to one counter (the other player then being the winner).
Play
To start the game, each player throws both dice, adds their totals, and the player that rolls highest goes first. Turns alternate and on their turn each player throws both dice once. A throw showing "A" is a special throw called a dal. When a player throws a dal, they may turn one counter parallel to its row (or in whatever method used to show rank) and move it forward one position. An undalled counter may not move and only a throw of dal allows a player to start moving any one of their counters. All other numbers shown on the dice only entitle the player to move a previously dalled counter forward the equivalent amount. The two dice totals may be added to move forward one counter or they may be used separately for two different counters. If a player has no dalled counters and does not throw any dals, the turn is forfeit. A throw of two dals allots the player who cast it an extra turn after their move. Any move that can be taken must be taken.
No two counters may ever occupy the same cell. When landing by exact throw at a cell occupied by an opposing counter that counter is captured by replacement and removed from the board and game. Friendly or opposing counters may be passed over without effect to either counter.
Mary Rose Oak Barrel Board
Movement of black counters from their original home row (bottom row here).
Each player's counters move first through the home row to the stern or rear of the ship/board, then through the middle row towards the prow (front), then into the opponent's home row back towards the stern. From here, it moves into the middle row again. Any counter never returns to its own home row.
Position after each player has had their first move. Black started and threw a dal and III (3). White followed, also throwing a dal and a II (2).
Variations
Daldøsa, known from Jæren in Norway, is played on a board of shorter length, or, more specifically, a board with less cells per side. The two rows at the sides of a Daldøsa board are composed of twelve cells and the central is composed of thirteen. The remainder of the differences between the two games are no more than design variations of the board and pieces. The Norwegian board has a more definite boat shape. The Norwegian pegs are much more uniform, as they all have flag-shaped flat handles at the top as opposed to the Danish pegs which are conical or conical with ball-shaped handles at the top. Finally, the Norwegian dice have an "X" instead of an "A" on the dal side.
The Sámi game of Sáhkku is different in several regards:
It is generally played with three dice.
The design of the board and counters bear little similarity. Sáhkku counters are not pegs and are placed on cells or at intersections of marked lines on the board. If the Sáhkku board is to resemble a boat, it is one without a bow.
There is an additional more powerful counter known as a king, and, sometimes, two king's sons.
The opposing counters move contrary to one another in the central row, whereas they move parallel in Daldøs. There is one Sáhkku variant from Utsjoki, however, the counters follow the same circuit as Daldøs(a).
Sources
Depaulis, Thierry (2001), "An Arab Game in the North Pole?" (PDF), Board Games Studies, Leiden: CNWS Publications, 4: 77–82, ISBN 90-5789-075-5
Michaelsen, Peter (2001), "Daldøs, an almost forgotten dice board game" (PDF), Board Games Studies, Leiden: CNWS Publications, 4: 19–31, ISBN 90-5789-075-5
Næsheim, Alf (2001), "Daldøsa, an old dice game with an obscure origin" (PDF), Board Games Studies, Leiden: CNWS Publications, 4: 9–14, ISBN 90-5789-075-5
Østergaard, Eric; Gaston, Anne (2001), "Daldøs — the rules" (PDF), Board Games Studies, Leiden: CNWS Publications, 4: 15–17, ISBN 90-5789-075-5
This is the opening position for the slightly different game Daldøsa known from Jæren in Norway.
Sáhkku Opening Position
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