How to Play Chinese Chequers
Chinese Chequers is a strategy board game for two to six players, played on a six-pointed star-shaped board of 121 holes. Each player controls 10 pegs and races them from their starting triangle to the triangle directly opposite. The game is simple enough for young children to grasp in minutes, yet offers enough tactical depth to keep adults genuinely engaged.
It is a staple of family games nights, school common rooms, and holiday cottages. The board's colourful pegs and satisfying chain-jump moves make it immediately appealing, and with variable player counts it adapts easily to however many people happen to be sitting around the table.
A little history
Despite its name, Chinese Chequers has no Chinese origin. It was developed in Germany in 1892 under the name Stern-Halma as a variation of the American game Halma, which itself appeared around 1883. The game was rebranded and marketed in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s under the name Chinese Checkers, a title widely thought to have been chosen for exotic appeal rather than any geographical accuracy. Its roots are therefore firmly European and American; its origins as a distinct published game are reasonably well documented from the late nineteenth century.
Setting up
- Place the board flat in the centre of the table so that one point of the star faces each player.
- Each player chooses a colour and takes the 10 pegs of that colour.
- Each player fills the 10 holes in the triangular point of the star directly in front of them with their pegs. These holes form the player's home triangle.
- For a 2-player game, players sit opposite each other, each filling one point. The four unused points remain empty.
- For a 3-player game, players occupy alternating points of the star, leaving three points empty.
- For a 4-player game, two pairs of opposite points are occupied, leaving two adjacent points empty.
- For a 6-player game, each point of the star is occupied by one player.
- Decide who goes first (youngest player, or by dice roll) and determine the direction of play (clockwise is standard).
How to play
- Players take turns in clockwise order. On your turn you must move exactly one peg.
- A peg may move one step into any directly adjacent empty hole. The board is hexagonal in structure, so each hole has up to six neighbours.
- Alternatively, a peg may jump over an adjacent peg (your own or any opponent's) into the empty hole immediately beyond it. The jumped peg is not removed from the board.
- After a jump, if the peg that just jumped has another peg adjacent to it in any direction with an empty hole beyond, it may continue jumping in a chain. You may change direction at any point in the chain.
- A turn consists of either a single step move OR one or more jumps. You cannot combine a step move with a jump in the same turn.
- You may end a chain of jumps voluntarily at any point; you are not forced to take the longest possible sequence.
- A peg that has entered the destination triangle (the point opposite your starting triangle) may move within that triangle on future turns but may not move back out of it.
- Play continues until one player has successfully moved all 10 of their pegs into the opposite triangle.
Winning and scoring
The first player to move all 10 of their pegs into the triangular point directly opposite their starting position wins the game. All 10 holes of that destination triangle must be occupied by the winning player's pegs; the triangle must be completely filled. In competitive or multi-round play, it is common to continue until all remaining players finish, ranking second, third, and so on by order of completion.
The fine points
The most common dispute concerns whether a peg may stop inside the destination triangle and then jump back out on a later turn. The standard ruling is that once a peg has entered the destination triangle it must stay there; it cannot be moved out to assist other pegs. Some house rules permit free movement in and out, but the traditional ruling prevents this to stop players using the destination triangle as a relay station.
A second frequent point of confusion is whether you are obliged to complete the longest possible jump chain. You are not. You may stop a chain of jumps at any intermediate position, even if further jumps are available. Similarly, there is no obligation to jump at all if a single-step move is preferable. Players sometimes also ask whether an opponent's peg can block a destination hole; it can, but this is rare in practice because pegs must complete their own race and have no incentive to park permanently in another player's target triangle.
How to win more often
- Prioritise building and using long jump chains. A well-arranged corridor of pegs across the board lets you move one peg the entire length of the board in a single turn; this is by far the fastest way to advance.
- Do not leave your back pegs behind. A single straggler at the rear of your home triangle can cost you the game even when your front pegs are almost home; move all pegs forward steadily.
- Use your opponents' pegs as stepping stones. You can jump any peg on the board, not just your own, so route your chains through clusters of other players' pieces whenever possible.
- Occupy the centre of the board early. Pegs that travel through the hexagonal centre have access to longer jump chains and more routing options than those hugging the edges.
- Block with purpose. Parking a peg in a critical junction of an opponent's intended route forces them to find a longer path, but only do this if it does not slow your own advance significantly.
Variations
Super Chinese Chequers
In this faster variant, a peg may jump over any peg that is not immediately adjacent, provided the landing hole is the mirror-image distance on the other side and is empty. This long-range jump dramatically accelerates play and is popular with experienced players who find the standard game too slow in its early stages.
Capture Variant
When a player jumps over an opponent's peg, that peg is removed from the board rather than remaining in place. This turns the game into a more aggressive contest of attrition. It is not traditional and changes the character of the game considerably, but it is commonly played as a house rule with younger children who enjoy the elimination element.
Team Play
With six players, partners sit opposite each other (occupying the same pair of points) and work as a team. Partners may use each other's pegs as jump stations freely, and the team wins when both players have filled the opposite triangles. Communication about intended chains is allowed, making this a genuinely cooperative variant well suited to mixed-age groups.
Misere (Reverse) Chinese Chequers
The winning condition is inverted: the first player to move all their pegs into the opposite triangle loses. Players must advance their pegs but try to do so in ways that force others to finish first. This variant rewards defensive play and a good understanding of how to obstruct without being obstructed.
Chinese Chequers: frequently asked questions
Can you use an opponent's pegs to make jump chains?
Yes. You may jump over any peg on the board regardless of colour. Routing your chain through clusters of opponents' pieces is a core part of the strategy.
Do you have to take a jump if one is available?
No. Jumping is never compulsory in Chinese Chequers. You are free to make a single-step move even when jumps are available, and you may end a jump chain early at any point.
Can a peg move back out of the destination triangle once it has entered?
Under the standard rules, no. Once a peg has entered your destination triangle it must stay there and can only move within it. House rules allowing exit exist but are not the traditional ruling.
What happens if you can't fit all 10 pegs into the destination triangle because an opponent's peg is sitting there?
An opponent's peg in your destination triangle can only be moved by that opponent on their turn. Strategically, this is rare but real. If it happens, you must wait or reroute; the peg does not get removed automatically.
How does the game work with just 2 players?
With two players, each occupies one point of the star and races to the directly opposite point. The four remaining points are left empty throughout the game. Turns alternate and the first to fill the opposite triangle wins.
Is Chinese Chequers suitable for young children?
The game is generally recommended for ages 6 and up. The basic rules are simple to learn and the colourful pegs are engaging for younger players, though the small pegs are a choking hazard for children under three.
Can a peg jump over a peg in the destination triangle?
Yes. Pegs inside any triangle, including destination triangles, are valid stepping stones for jump chains provided the hole on the far side is empty.
With 4 players, which points of the star do players use?
With four players, two pairs of opposite points are used, leaving two adjacent points empty. Each player races to the point directly opposite their own starting triangle, exactly as in the 2 or 6-player game.