If there are four or six players they may make teams of two players each with partners at opposite corners. The objective of the game is to occupy all of the positions of the camp directly opposite the initial camp with your counters.

They both seem to have been invented right around the same time. Chinese Checkers is very similar to Halma and one was most certainly derived or inspired by the other. It was first published by Ravensburger in 1892. Its invention must likely be attributed to a German or Swede. Marketed versions of the game have often used marbles of differing colors as the counters.Ĭhinese checkers is not Chinese. This, however, is impossible with five players. For obvious reasons, the counters should be arranged symmetrically on the board if playing with two, three, or four players. There are six colored triangles at the corners of the board where counters begin and end the game, here referred to as “camps”. If four, five, or six players each must commence with ten counters each. If two or three players, each may commence with 15 counters of a separate color. Playing with five players, however, can give an advantage to the one player who is moving to occupy an unoccupied camp.Ī Chinese Checkers board is required. This game can be played by two to six players. In parts of China the game is called Tiau-qi, meaning “The Jumping Game” The Chinese also made several different rule variations for the game, which were usually more complex than the traditional versions. Ironically, the game of Chinese Checkers was introduced into Asia from Europe and the Americas and became quite popular there. Earlier versions of the Pressman marketed game were called Hop Ching Checkers. and many parts of Europe had a general fascination with all things of Chinese or Oriental making. The most commonly used name for this game today is Chinese Checkers, which originated as a marketing scheme by Bill and Jack Pressman for their Pressman Company. The game was later marketed to English-speaking areas under the name Star Halma. The 'Stern' word is German for 'Star' and refers to this game being a version of Halma played on a star-shaped board (in contrast to the square board used in Halma).

The original version of this game was called Stern-Halma. It was originally called Stern-Halma in Germany and then Hop Ching Checkers in the United States.Opening Positions for Two and Six Players The name Chinese Checkers was just a marketing play when the game was brought to America.The game has little to do with normal checkers, but comes from a game called Halma.The game was not invented in China, but rather in Germany.Is often played with the youngest player getting the advantage.Ħ players - each player has a separate color of marbles and tries to move them to the opposite corner. One player will have an empty space opposite, giving them the advantage. Two opposite sides are left open.ĥ players - this is sometimes not considered a legal option.

If using 2 sets, then the players set up their colors on opposite sides and must move their colors to their own opposite side.Ĥ players - this way is standard Chinese checkers. If using 1 set, then the players must move to the opposite empty star point.

You can also play with multiple sets of marbles where each player plays 2 or 3 sets or colors of marbles and has to move all of them across the board to win.ģ players - 3 players can be played with 1 or 2 sets of marbles. You can move in any direction.ĭepending on the number of players there are different ways to play Chinese checkers:Ģ players - with two players you move all your marbles across the board to other player's start point. You do not have to hop over a marble if you don't want to. You can hop over your own or your opponent's marbles. See the blue path of hops in the picture below for an example. You can only jump over 1 marble at a time (for example you can't jump over 2 marbles that are next to each other), but you can do multiple jumps on the same turn as long as the hops are all lined up. The marble can be moved to an adjacent open space or may jump over other marbles that are right next to the marble. When a player takes a turn, they may move one marble. The object of the Chinese checkers is to get all of your marbles to the opposite point of the star. Each player has 10 colored marbles that start out inside the point of the star. There are lots of places in the star where marbles fit. We'll discuss the most popular way called the 'hop across' version here.Ĭhinese Checkers uses a special board that looks like a six pointed start. There are some different ways to play the game. Chinese Checkers is a fun game to play with 2 to 6 players.

Board games rules chinese checkers