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Peg Solitaire
Jump pegs until only one remains
- 1 player
- 5–15 min
- DifficultyMedium
How to play
- Jump over adjacent pegs to remove them
- Can only jump horizontally or vertically
- Jumped peg is removed from the board
- Goal: finish with one peg in the center
Questions
Remove all but one peg from the board by jumping. The ultimate goal is to leave the final peg in the center.
The English board is cross-shaped with 33 holes. Start with 32 pegs filling all holes except the center. The European board is circular with 37 holes. Various other board shapes exist.
Solve by reducing to a single peg. The 'perfect' solution ends with the peg in the center. Any single-peg finish is a success; ending with multiple pegs means you're stuck.
A peg jumps over an adjacent peg (horizontally or vertically) to an empty hole beyond. The jumped peg is removed from the board. Diagonal jumps are not allowed (in the standard game).
Work from the outside in - don't leave isolated pegs in corners early. Symmetry can help - try to maintain balanced positions. Learn patterns that clear sections efficiently.
English Board: 33-hole cross-shaped board (the standard). European Board: 37-hole circular/cross hybrid. Triangular Peg Solitaire: Triangle-shaped board, popular in restaurants. Different starting holes: Try starting with different positions empty.
Peg Solitaire became popular in France in the late 17th century. Legend credits its invention to a French prisoner in the Bastille, though its true origins are unknown.