Stern-Halma

Stern-Halma, or Chinese Checkers is a game for 2 to 6 players. History The game was invented in Germany in 1892 under the name "Stern-Halma" as a variation of the older American game Halma. Like all Halma games, there is a similarity to checkers. The Stern (German for star) refers to the board's star shape (in contrast to the square board used in Halma).The name "Chinese checkers" originated in the United States as a marketing scheme by Bill and Jack Pressman in 1928. Rules The aim is to race all one's pieces into the star corner on the opposite side of the board before the opponents do the same. The destination corner is called home. Each player has 10 pieces, except in games between two players, when 15 pieces are used. (On bigger star boards, 15 or 21 pieces are used.) In "hop across", the most popular variation, each player starts with their colored pieces on one of the six points or corners of the star and attempts to race them all home into the opposite corner. Players take turns moving a single piece, either by moving one step in any direction to an adjacent empty space, or by jumping in one or any number of available consecutive hops over other single pieces. A player may not combine hopping with a single-step move — a move consists of one or the other. There is no capturing in Chinese checkers, so pieces that are hopped over remain active and in play. Turns proceed clockwise around the board. In the diagram, blue might move the topmost piece one space diagonally forward as shown. A hop consists of jumping over a single adjacent piece, either one's own or an opponent's, to the empty space directly beyond it in the same line of direction. Red might advance the indicated piece by a chain of seven hops in a single move. It is not mandatory to make the most hops possible. (In some instances a player may choose to stop the jumping sequence part way in order to impede the opponent's progress, or to align pieces for planned future moves.)   *History and Rules above