Chinese Checkers

The Rules of Halma

Object:
The object of the game is to move all one's pieces across the board and into the opponent's starting position. If a player's pieces become imprisoned in their starting position and cannot be moved, such player must forfeit the game as soon as all the available points within his/her starting position are occupied.

Set-up:
For 2 players, 19 pieces are positioned in the appropriate opposite corners. For 4 players, 13 pieces are positioned in each corner.

To start:
Having decided who plays first, the players take turns moving a single piece of their own colour per turn. A piece may either be moved into an adjacent hole or it may jump over single pieces. When a jumping move is made, each jump must be over an adjacent piece and into a vacant point directly beyond it. Jumps may be made over pieces of any color, the moving player's color included. Jumps may be made in any direction, and changes of direction are allowed in multiple jumps. A player does not have to make all possible jumps in his/her turn.

The pieces are never removed from the board. The pieces may be moved in and out of any points on the board. However, once a piece is moved into its goal area, it may not be moved out. Although it may be moved within the goal area.

© 2000-2003 AbstractStrategy.com

The Rules of Chinese Checkers

Object of the game:
The object of Chinese Checkers is to move your marbles across the board to the star point directly opposite your starting star point.

To Play the Game:
Each player uses a different colored set of marbles and places them into the holes in one point of the star. The players may move or jump in any direction as long as they follow the lines. The marbles may move one hole or jump one marble of any color in any direction, provided the hole beyond the jumped marble is vacant. Multiple jumps are allowed wherever they can be made following the rules. Play continues to the left.

(The following rule is not part of the original rules of the game.)

If one or more of a player's marbles are imprisoned in his/her original starting point so that the marbles cannot be moved, such player forfeits the game. In the event of multiple players, the imprisoned marbles are removed and the game continues as before.

© 2000-2003 AbstractStrategy.com

Note:

"What is unique about HALMA, CHINESE CHECKERS,...., is that the game play consists of jumping pieces--your opponents and your own--without removing the jumped pieces from the board; moves to adjacent spaces without a jump are also allowed." (Bruce Whitehill) 

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