Setup and opening position
The five-by-six board begins empty and each player has twelve stones. Players alternate single placements until all twenty-four stones are down; rows formed during this drop phase do not capture.
Dara
Reduce the opponent to two stones or leave that player without a legal movement, making it impossible to form another legal three.
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How to play
Reduce the opponent to two stones or leave that player without a legal movement, making it impossible to form another legal three.
- The five-by-six board begins empty and each player has twelve stones. Players alternate single placements until all twenty-four stones are down; rows formed during this drop phase do not capture.
- After placement, slide one stone orthogonally to an adjacent vacancy. A strict row or column of exactly three permits one enemy stone outside an opposing three to be removed; creating four or more consecutive own stones is illegal in either phase.
- Reduce the opponent to two stones or leave that player without a legal movement, making it impossible to form another legal three.
Strategy tips
- Build two-stone shapes with several possible third points, preserve mobile pieces outside existing threes, and force the opponent to break protection before completing your capture row.
- A line of four is not a stronger mill—it is illegal—while a three made during initial placement earns no removal even though it may shape the later board.
- When material is low, protect stones inside exact threes and count whether moving one defender exposes an immediate opposing three or removes your final legal route.
Complete guide
Rules, scoring, and strategy
Dara is a complete browser implementation with its own versioned rules profile. Form exact orthogonal rows of three on a five-by-six board, capturing unprotected enemy stones after the placement phase.
Legal moves and game flow
After placement, slide one stone orthogonally to an adjacent vacancy. A strict row or column of exactly three permits one enemy stone outside an opposing three to be removed; creating four or more consecutive own stones is illegal in either phase.
Winning and terminal positions
Reduce the opponent to two stones or leave that player without a legal movement, making it impossible to form another legal three. When material is low, protect stones inside exact threes and count whether moving one defender exposes an immediate opposing three or removes your final legal route.
Practical strategy
Build two-stone shapes with several possible third points, preserve mobile pieces outside existing threes, and force the opponent to break protection before completing your capture row. A line of four is not a stronger mill—it is illegal—while a three made during initial placement earns no removal even though it may shape the later board.
Questions players ask
What is the objective in Dara?
Reduce the opponent to two stones or leave that player without a legal movement, making it impossible to form another legal three.
Which moves are legal in Dara?
After placement, slide one stone orthogonally to an adjacent vacancy. A strict row or column of exactly three permits one enemy stone outside an opposing three to be removed; creating four or more consecutive own stones is illegal in either phase.
What should I plan first in Dara?
Build two-stone shapes with several possible third points, preserve mobile pieces outside existing threes, and force the opponent to break protection before completing your capture row.
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