Overview
Halma is the predecessor to Chinese Checkers, invented in Victorian England around 1880. It's played on a 16x16 checkered board where players race their pieces from one corner to the opposite corner using steps or jumps.
History
Halma was invented by American surgeon George Howard Monks around 1883-1884, named after the Greek word for 'jump.' It was a popular Victorian parlor game and inspired Chinese Checkers (Stern-Halma) in 1892.
Strategy
Create long chains of pieces to enable extended jump sequences.
The shortest path is diagonal
Focus on diagonal advancement.
Keep your pieces connected rather than scattered.
Help your trailing pieces by leaving jump opportunities.
Don't leave pieces in opponent's destination camp (blocking is against good sportsmanship and may be illegal).
The center gives the most movement options
Use it as a highway.
Frequently asked questions
Be the first to move all your pieces from your corner camp to the opposite corner camp.