Erbil
Local draughts variant is a daily ritual of focus and friendship
ERBIL — After afternoon prayers, elderly men in Erbil often gather outside mosques to play draughts, a board game known locally in Kurdish as dame, prized for its reliance on strategy and focus rather than physical exertion.
The game is typically played on a 64-square board using 32 round pieces, divided evenly between two players. In the absence of a proper board, players frequently draw the grid with chalk on the pavement or cardboard and use small stones as pieces.
In the Kurdistan Region, dame remains especially popular among older men, who view it as both a pastime and a mental exercise. “After the afternoon prayer, we start playing dame. It’s just for fun and to pass the time,” Mam Walid, a local resident, told 964media.
He said the games often draw such deep focus that players may not even acknowledge passersby. The intensity is lightened by humor — participants rib each other with remarks like “Hey rookie!” after a poor move, though, as Mam Walid noted, “everyone is considered a player.”
Players say the game sharpens concentration and demands tactical thinking. While younger people occasionally take part, older men dominate the scene — and the games.
