How to Play Konane

Konane (Hawaiian Checkers) is played on an 8x8 board filled with alternating black and white stones.

Every square starts occupied. Black stones sit on squares where (row + column) is even, and white stones fill the rest.

Black always moves first.

The game begins with two removal phases before jumping starts.

First, Black removes one of their own stones from a center square (3,3), (3,4), (4,3), (4,4) or from a corner.

This creates the first empty space on the board, which enables all future moves.

Next, White removes one of their own stones that is orthogonally adjacent to the empty space Black just created.

This creates a second empty space next to the first one. After both removals, the jumping phase begins with Black.

Here Black removed the stone at (3,3). White can now remove one of the highlighted white stones adjacent to that gap.

After both removals, players alternate jumping. On each turn you must jump one of your stones over an adjacent opponent stone into the empty square beyond it.

Jumps are orthogonal only (no diagonals). The jumped opponent stone is removed from the board.

Here Black can jump the white stone at (3,4), landing at (3,5) and capturing the white stone.

A stone may continue jumping in the same direction if another opponent stone and empty square are available beyond the landing.

All jumps in a sequence must be in the same direction (all horizontal or all vertical). You may stop after any single jump.

Here Black at (3,1) can jump the white stone at (3,2) to land at (3,3), and then optionally continue jumping the white stone at (3,4) to land at (3,5).

You must make a jump on your turn if one is available. You cannot pass.

If you have multiple jumping options, you may choose which stone to jump with and which direction to jump.

If no jump is possible for the current player, that player loses the game.

The key to Konane is controlling which jumps are available. Try to create situations where your opponent has no legal jumps while you still do.

Think ahead: every capture you make creates new empty spaces that might give your opponent new jumping opportunities.

Controlling the center and maintaining jump options are more important than capturing the most stones.