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One of the most well-known board games, especially popular in the United States and Europe, is Chinese Checkers. Invented at the end of the 19th century, it quickly gained popularity in Western countries and, despite its name, has no connection to China.

It’s easy to recognize by its distinctive star-shaped board and colorful pieces that players move by jumping over other figures. Beneath its simple appearance lies a surprisingly deep strategy that makes the game engaging for both children and adults.

History of the game

The predecessor of Chinese Checkers is considered to be the game Halma, invented in 1883–1884 by an American professor from Boston — George Howard Monks. Based on this game, in 1892 the German Otto Robert Maier developed a more complex version, which was named Stern-Halma. Unlike the original Halma, this variant is played on a six-pointed star-shaped board with 2 to 6 players.

This change to the board design became the key difference: the star shape equalized the players’ starting positions and made the game more symmetrical and dynamic. Each point of the star serves as a starting base, providing equal conditions for all participants and offering wide opportunities for strategic planning.

Stern-Halma was officially patented by the German company Ravensburger in 1892, and in 1909 it was released in England by Spears & Sons. In the United States, the puzzle appeared much later — in 1928 — and was published by J. Pressman & Co. It was then that the game received its new name — Chinese Checkers.

Although Chinese Checkers does not originate from China, the marketing strategy of using the word “Chinese” turned out to be successful. To the public, the Eastern flair was associated with exoticism, mystery, and refined culture. As a result, the brand became more memorable and easily recognizable.

One theory behind the name is the rapid rise in popularity of all things Eastern in the United States in the early 1920s. Around the same time, Mahjong was introduced in the US (in 1922), and in 1923 the grand archaeological discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb took place. Chinese Checkers became another milestone in the Eastern trend of the 1920s and secured a prominent place among other classic board games.

The game quickly entered American households, becoming an integral part of home entertainment. With simple rules and the option to play with two, three, or more people, it was perfect for evenings around the table. In addition, Chinese Checkers was often used in educational institutions to help children develop spatial thinking and planning skills.

An alternative Western name for this game is Hop Ching checkers, while in China it is known as Tiaoqi (“jump game”). Given the Japanese passion for logic games, Chinese Checkers naturally made its way to the Land of the Rising Sun as well. There it is known as the “diamond game” (ダイヤモンドゲーム) and differs slightly in rules from the 1892 original.

Some Japanese versions allow longer sequential jumps, and the game’s objective may include not only moving all pieces to the opposite starting point but also capturing specific positions. There are also rare variations in which players use special pieces or extended boards — shaped like a twelve-pointed star. These formats are popular in hobby clubs and board game communities in Asia.

To this day, Chinese Checkers remains one of the few board games that has changed very little in over a hundred years. Thanks to adaptations in both print and digital formats, it continues to be relevant and attracts players of all generations.

Fun facts

• In some countries during World War II (for example, the United Kingdom), sales of Chinese Checkers declined due to its “German” origin, despite the neutral name.
• In the 20th century, portable travel sets with magnetic pieces became popular — Chinese Checkers became an essential game for trips and picnics.
• There are rare variations of Chinese Checkers that use a die to introduce an element of chance.
• Jumping over pieces does not remove them from the board. Unlike traditional checkers, in this game, pieces are not “captured” but used as a base for movement, adding tactical depth.
• In the 1950s, Chinese Checkers was advertised on the radio — a rarity for board games of that time.

Try your hand as a strategist — play Chinese Checkers online for free and discover this classic game in a convenient format, with no registration or hassle.

Chinese Checkers is not just a classic board game, but a true test of logical thinking, attentiveness, and strategic intuition. Despite its simple mechanics, each game requires planning and the ability to adapt to your opponents' moves. Before starting the game, it's helpful to understand its basic rules and tactics — this will help you get oriented more quickly and start winning.

Interestingly, this game captivates both beginners and experienced players alike: at first glance, it seems elementary, but as the game progresses, it reveals many tactical opportunities.

Game rules

Chinese Checkers is played on a board shaped like a six-pointed star. Typically, it's a board with symmetrically placed holes where differently colored pieces (checkers) are set. Since the star has six points, 2 to 6 people can play Chinese Checkers.

Depending on the number of players, starting sectors are chosen so that the pieces are evenly distributed, and when there are fewer players, the extra corners remain empty. Each player is assigned one of the star’s points, where their colored pieces are placed. On the opposite point, the opponent’s pieces (of a different color) are set. The ultimate goal is to move all of your pieces, step by step, from one end of the board to the opposite side.

On a single turn, you can:

• Move one of your pieces forward by 1 space (if it’s not occupied by another piece).
• Jump over your own or an opponent’s piece, if it’s in the way.

These two actions are mutually exclusive. That is, if you jump during a turn, you can’t also move one space, and vice versa. It’s important to note that jumping is only possible if there’s a free space behind the piece you’re jumping over.

Within a single turn, you can jump over multiple pieces — both yours and your opponents’ — just like in standard checkers, if the situation on the board allows. However, all pieces remain on the board and are not “captured” like in classic checkers. Sometimes it’s possible to make a sequence of 4–5 jumps in one turn, which significantly speeds up progress toward the goal.

Since jumping moves a piece forward by 2 spaces instead of 1, this tactic is often the most effective. That means you should choose paths filled with your own and your opponents’ pieces and try to block the opponent’s potential jumps.

Effective blocking is the key to victory: if you can occupy strategic spaces and limit your opponent’s movement options, you’ll gain an advantage even in otherwise equal positions.

Game tips

As in many other board games, the right to the first move in Chinese Checkers is decided by drawing lots. So in addition to the board and pieces, it’s useful to have a die or coin. Some players follow the rule: “the youngest goes first,” but this is optional.

To reach the opposite side of the board faster than your opponent, you should:

• Choose routes where the most pieces are concentrated.
• Block your opponent’s moves by placing your pieces in pairs.
• If possible — don’t let your opponent do the same.

Sometimes it’s helpful to temporarily sacrifice your position to force your opponent into a disadvantageous move or to reveal their defense.

The game ends when all your pieces occupy the spaces on the opposite side of the board. Important: you don’t have to be the first to finish — if you’re confidently progressing and blocking your opponent, you already have a tactical advantage.

Since each player usually has 10 to 15 pieces — depending on the number of participants — the game can last a long time, but it also provides lots of positive emotions. The main thing is to stay attentive and think ahead, occupying key spaces and preventing your opponent from doing the same!

Chinese Checkers is not just a way to pass the time, but also excellent training for spatial thinking, foresight, and patience. Once you know the rules and basic strategy, you can confidently start a game. Play online, play for free!