Daldøs
A Scandinavian running-fight board game with four-sided dice.
Daldøs is a running-fight board game found only in a handful of coastal spots in southern Scandinavia, where its known history goes back to about 1800. The game uses unusual four-sided stick dice. In Denmark, it is called daldøs in northern and western Jutland (Mors, Thisted, and Fanø), and possibly daldos on Bornholm. In Norway, it is known as daldøsa from Jæren, where a continuous tradition of playing it still exists, unlike in Denmark. Daldøs shares many features with games in the sáhkku family of Sámi board games, which were played by the Sámi on the northern coast and eastern-central inland of Sápmi, far from Jæren and Denmark. Its closest relatives otherwise appear to be the tâb games from northern Africa and southwestern Asia.
The name daldøs has a mysterious etymology. The first syllable refers to the throw *dal*. The marking A on the dice probably stands for “ace” or something similar, but where *dal* comes from is unknown. One theory links it to the Medieval English word *daly*, meaning die. *Døs* is likely a variant of a Nordic word traditionally used for the “two” on a die, related to Old French *doues*, which survives in the Danish word *sinkadus* (originally a dice throw of a five and a two from another game). Most tâb games and the Sámi sáhkku are named after the dice throw “one,” which is needed to release pieces so they can start moving. There is no clear reason why the throw “two” would appear in the name, unless “daldøs” actually means “two dals” (dal-dal).
The origins of Daldøs are unknown, but it is strikingly similar to some games in the tâb group from northern Africa and western Asia, which spread widely during the Muslim expansion. It may have reached Scandinavia through sea trade, either directly from the Arab world or possibly via England. The game must have arrived in Scandinavia no later than 1800, and quite possibly a few centuries earlier. A connection involving the Swedish Vikings known as Varangians, who served as mercenaries for the Byzantine Empire before 1100, has been suggested.
In the 1876 Danish his
- type
- board game
- region
- southern Scandinavia (Denmark and Norway)
- earliest_known_date
- around 1800
- also_known_as
- daldøsa (Norway), daldos (Bornholm)
- dice_type
- four-sided long dice (stick dice)
- board_holes
- 16+17+16 (Denmark) or 12+13+12 (Norway)
Quick Facts
- Italic Title
- no
- Title
- Daldøs
- Years
- First documented in 1800s. Fallen largely out of use by first half of 1900s.
- Genre
- Board game / Running-fight game / Dice game
- Players
- 2
- Setup Time
- 30 seconds - 1 minute
- Playing Time
- 5–60 minutes
- Random Chance
- Medium (dice rolling)
- Skills
- Strategy, tactics, counting, probability
- Aka
- Daldøsa
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game is known from Northern and Western Jutland (Mors, Thisted, Fanø) and possibly Bornholm in Denmark, and from Jæren in Norway, where a continuous tradition exists. The name daldøs likely derives from the dice throws 'dal' (one) and 'døs' (two), though the etymology of 'dal' remains a mystery. The game shares similarities with the Sámi game sáhkku and the tâb games of Northern Africa and South-western Asia.
Surviving specimens include a game from a farm near Thisted (now at Thisted Museum), another from Mors (at Nationalmuseet), and one at Morslands Historiske Museum. A game of unknown age is kept at Hå Municipality bygdemuseum in Jæren. A 1927 article by H. Billeskov Jansen described the rules in detail. The game appears in a 1876 Danish novel by J. P. Jacobsen, who likely knew it from his childhood in Thisted.
Players use 16 spatula-shaped pieces each, which must be 'dalled' (turned parallel to the row) before they can move. The object is to remove all enemy pieces by landing on their positions. The dice show values 1 (dal), 2, 3, and 4, with the dal allowing a piece to be dalled.
Reader's Guide
Daldøs is significant as a rare example of a running-fight board game with a continuous tradition in Scandinavia, particularly in Jæren, Norway. Its closest relatives appear to be the tâb games from Northern Africa and South-western Asia, suggesting possible transmission via sea trade or through England, where a 13th-century codex from Cerne Abbey, Dorset, may depict a Daldøs board. The game also shares features with the Sámi game sáhkku, though the regions are far apart. The unusual four-sided stick dice and the requirement to 'dal' pieces before moving distinguish it from many other board games. The game's name, incorporating the throw for 'two' (døs), is unusual compared to related games named after the throw 'one'. The game's history remains uncertain, with possible connections to Varangian mercenaries or Muslim expansion. Its legacy is preserved in museum collections and local traditions, and it continues to be reconstructed and played by enthusiasts.
Did You Know?
- The game uses four-sided stick dice with pyramidal or rounded ends to prevent standing on end.
- In Denmark, a local saying 'spilla daldōs' (playing daldøs) meant to live beyond one's means.
- The board has an extra hole in the middle row to distinguish the two ends and define the direction of play.
- A 13th-century codex from Cerne Abbey, Dorset, possibly shows a Daldøs board with 11+12+11 holes.
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